TPS QA Program
QA Periodicity
Image Acquisition, Use and Display
Dosimetric Evaluation
Related Links
AAPM TG-53
IAEA TR #430
TPS QA: Fundamental Reproducibility Tests
TREATMENT PLANNING QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM
Treatment planning quality assurance (TPS QA) is fundamental to the integrity of radiation oncology. TPS QA is inextricably tied to beam commissioning in external beam treatment and source commissioning in brachytherapy. The reference documents used to build any successful TPS QA program must include AAPM Task Group 53 Quality Assurance for Clinical Radiotherapy Treatment Planning (1998) and IAEA Technical Report Series No. 430 Commissioning and Quality Assurance of Computerized Treatment Planning Systems for Radiation Treatment of Cancer (2005).
Tests performed during the commissioning of your TPS will become part of your TPS QA program. While your commissioning testing will be extensive, the TPS QA program is developed to test core operations fundamental to the clinical use of the system. The sophistication and complexity of current TPS make it virtually impossible to test all pathways of plan development and system failure. The development of your program requires you to evaluate cost (time and resources) versus benefit. Balancing the time and resources required to test the system and the probability of failure or misuse of the system based on clinical utilization and process documentation. This is not an easy task but the reference articles provide a roadmap by illuminating the sources of error which ultimately depends upon your treatment planning and implementation process.
Aspects of a comprehensive TPS QA program will be presented. The tests are somewhat dependent upon the vendor but are applicable to any TPS system. The process of treatment planning in your clinic and what treatment modalities you have available may be more important in determining how applicable the tests and forms are to your facility. We will continue to add portions of the program over time until the complete program is present. It is important to understand that the program is reviewed annually and continues to evolve with clinical changes. This is in keeping with the continuous quality improvement methodology that is consistent with the ACR Radiation Oncology Practice Guidelines.