Design and clinical implementation of a TG-106 compliant linear accelerator data management system and MU calculator

Abstract

In an attempt to minimize errors and improve patient outcome in radiation therapy, a linear accelerator data management system was developed to provide radiation oncology physicists with a set of computerized tools to manage linear accelerator physics data. The entire program is written in Microsoft Visual Basic and has a user-friendly, front-end window with the following features and modules: (1) Generate, edit and approve commissioning and QA reports and other regulatory documents, (2) Configure commissioning tasks, (3) Acquire output factors, (4) Import scanned data, (5) Import PDD, TMRs and OAR tables directly from the scanning software, (6) Query physics data such as TMR, PDDs, OFs, and WFs, (7) Compare physics data to a different machine or a standard, (8) Compare physics data from the same machine (e.g. during annual calibrations), (9) Perform MU calculations on plans exported from the planning system via DICOM RT, (10) Perform TG-51 calibration, (11) Perform monthly calibration, (12) FTP physics data for purposes of remote peer review and/or inspections.