MO‐FG‐303‐01: FEATURED PRESENTATION and BEST IN PHYSICS (THERAPY): Automating LINAC QA: Design and Testing of An Image Acquisition and Processing System Utilizing a Combination of Radioluminescent Phosphors, Embedded X‐Ray Markers and Optical Measurements

Purpose: The recent development of phosphors to visualize radiation beams from linear accelerators (LINAC) offers a unique opportunity for evaluating radiation fields within the context of the treatment space. The purpose of this study was to establish an automated, self-calibrating prototype system for performing quality assurance (QA) measurements. Methods: A thin layer of Gd₂O₂S:Tb phosphor and fiducial markers were embedded on several planar faces of a custom-designed phantom. The phantom was arbitrarily placed near iso-center on the couch of a LINAC equipped with on-board megavoltage (MV) and kilovoltage (kV) imagers. A plan consisting of several beams and integrated image acquisitions was delivered. Images of the phantom were collected throughout the delivery. Salient features, such as fiducials, crosshairs and beam edges were then extracted from these images used to calibrate the system, adjust for variations in phantom placement, and perform measurements. Beam edges were visualized by imaging the light generated by the phosphor on the phantom enabling direct comparison with the light field and laser locations. Registration of MV, kV and optical image data was performed using the embedded fiducial markers, enabling comparison of imaging center locations. Measurements specified by TG-142 were calculated and compared with those obtained from a commercially available QA system. Results: The system was able to automatically extract the location of the fiducials, lasers, light field and radiation field from the acquired images regardless of phantom positioning. It was also able to automatically identify the locations of fiducial markers on kV and MV images. All collected measurements were within TG-142 guidelines. The difference between the prototype and commercially available system were less than 0.2 mm. Conclusion: The prototype system demonstrated the capability of accurately and autonomously evaluating various TG-142 parameters independent of operator input and phantom setup.