• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2016

Periodical calibrations of radiation detectors are important for accurate quality assurance of therapeutic linac. The measuring instruments such as ion-chamber, thermometer, barometer, and survey meter should be calibrated periodically. Period of calibration for these instruments is suggested 6 month to one year in Korea and two years in other countries nowadays. Therefore, the determination of reasonable period for calibration is needed. In this study, we plan to utilize the results of these survey; frequent in use, how to use and stability of instruments, to determine the optimized period of calibration for the instruments in the departments of radiation oncology in Korea based on the ILAC-G24. The SurveyMonkey web-based survey tool was used and the objects of survey were 18 department of radiation oncology in university hospitals, and 15 departments were answered. The 64 questionnaires which supposed to be answered in 50 minutes were classified as the information of candidates, the thermometer, the barometer, the surveymeter, and the ion-chamber. The thermometers and the barometers were not under periodical calibration for more than half of candidates. The periods of calibration of surveymeters were 6 month to 1 year. We expect that the calibration period can be determined based on these survey results.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.248-254
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to develope a control system for a small X-ray tube generator and investigate control methods for the X-ray generator. The small X-ray tube was developed for electronic brachytherapy, and thus, the new control method should be investigated, if the small X-ray tube is used for the imaging system. The Axxent S700 X-ray tube and the XF060NZZ485 high voltage generator were used to compose a X-ray imaging system and control board was developed by using AT90CAN128 MCU. The two control methods were investigated after tube voltage was set to 50 kV, one was filament current control method and the other was beam current control method. The former was subdivided into two methods according to the filament heating time, the 5 and the 10 seconds respectively. In the filament current method, the beam current did not rise up to the desired value, if the filament current had not been maintained for at least 10 seconds. The onset filament currents to generate beam current were varied from 1,300 to 1,350 mA and over 5 seconds were needed in order to reach the desired tube current value after beam current was generated. However, in the tube current control method, the beam current reached to the desired value without any time delay with the filament current of 1,500 mA. In this study, we found that the beam current control method was appropriate for the use of small X-ray tube developed for brachytherapy in the X-ray imaging system.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2015

Radiation exposure from medical diagnostic imaging procedures to patients is one of the most significant interests in diagnostic x-ray system. A miniature x-ray intraoral tube was developed for the first time in the world which can be inserted into the mouth for imaging. Dose evaluation should be carried out in order to utilize such an imaging device for clinical use. In this study, dose evaluation of the new x-ray unit was performed by 1) using a custom made in vivo Pig phantom, 2) determining exposure condition for the clinical use, and 3) measuring patient dose of the new system. On the basis of DRLs (Diagnostic Reference Level) recommended by KDFA (Korea Food & Drug Administration), the ESD (Entrance Skin Dose) and DAP (Dose Area Product) measurements for the new x-ray imaging device were designed and measured. The maximum voltage and current of the x-ray tubes used in this study were 55 kVp, and 300 mA. The active area of the detector was $72{\times}72mm$ with pixel size of $48{\mu}m$. To obtain the operating condition of the new system, pig jaw phantom images showing major tooth-associated tissues, such as clown, pulp cavity were acquired at 1 frame/sec. Changing the beam currents 20 to $80{\mu}A$, x-ray images of 50 frames were obtained for one beam current with optimum x-ray exposure setting. Pig jaw phantom images were acquired from two commercial x-ray imaging units and compared to the new x-ray device: CS 2100, Carestream Dental LLC and EXARO, HIOSSEN, Inc. Their exposure conditions were 60 kV, 7 mA, and 60 kV, 2 mA, respectively. Comparing the new x-ray device and conventional x-ray imaging units, images of the new x-ray device around teeth and their neighboring tissues turn out to be better in spite of its small x-ray field size. ESD of the new x-ray device was measured 1.369 mGy on the beam condition for the best image quality, 0.051 mAs, which is much less than DRLs recommended by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and KDFA, both. Its dose distribution in the x-ray field size was observed to be uniform with standard deviation of 5~10 %. DAP of the new x-ray device was $82.4mGy*cm^2$ less than DRL established by KDFA even though its x-ray field size was small. This study shows that the new x-ray imaging device offers better in image quality and lower radiation dose compared to the conventional intraoral units. In additions, methods and know-how for studies in x-ray features could be accumulated from this work.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results for the quality assurance through a statistical analysis on the output characteristics of linear accelerators belonging to Yeungnam University Medical Center by using the Shewhart-type chart, Exponentially weighted moving average chart (EWMA) chart, and process capability indices $C_p$ and $C_{pk}$. To achieve this, we used the output values measured using respective treatment devices (21EX, 21EX-S, and Novalis Tx) by medical physicists every month from September, 2012 to April, 2014. The output characteristics of treatment devices followed the IAEA TRS-398 guidelines, and the measurements included photon beams of 6 MV, 10 MV, and 15 MV and electron beams of 4 MeV, 6 MeV, 9 MeV, 12 MeV, 16MeV, and 20 MeV. The statistical analysis was done for the output characteristics measured, and was corrected every month. The width of control limit of weighting factors and measurement values were calculated as ${\lambda}=0.10$ and L=2.703, respectively; and the process capability indices $C_p$ and $C_{pk}$ were greater than or equal to 1 for all energies of the linear accelerators (21EX, 21EX-S, and Novalis Tx). Measured values of output doses with drastic and minor changes were found through the Shewhart-type chart and EWMA chart, respectively. The process capability indices $C_p$ and $C_{pk}$ of the treatment devices in our institution were, respectively, 2.384 and 2.136 for 21EX, 1.917 and 1.682 for 21EX-S, and 2.895 and 2.473 for Novalis Tx, proving that Novalis Tx has the most stable and accurate output characteristics.