Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39316455›Full record

ArticleMedical physics2024

An international film dosimetry intercomparison to establish a multi-center audit framework.

Sabeena Beveridge, Andrew Alves, Mohammad Hussein, Catharine H Clark, Núria Jornet, Claudio C B Viegas, Brigitte Reniers, Paola Elisa Alvarez, Godfrey Azangwe, Krzysztof Chelminski and 3 more

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Medical physics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Sabeena BeveridgeAustralian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service, Victoria, Australia.
Andrew AlvesAustralian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service, Victoria, Australia.
Mohammad HusseinNational Physical Laboratory, Middlesex, UK.
Catharine H ClarkNational Physical Laboratory, Middlesex, UK.
Núria JornetServei de Radiofísica I Radioprotecció, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
Claudio C B ViegasNational Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Brigitte ReniersUniversiteit Hasselt, CMK, NuTeC, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
Paola Elisa AlvarezIROC Houston Quality Assurance Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Godfrey AzangweDepartment of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria.
Krzysztof ChelminskiDepartment of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria.
Alexis DimitriadisDepartment of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria.
Pavel KazantsevDepartment of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria.
Jamema SwamidasDepartment of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn 2021, a Technical Meeting was hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) where it was recommended that a standardized method for assessing the accuracy of film dose calculations should be established. PURPOSE: To design an audit that evaluates the accuracy of film dosimetry processes. To propose a framework for identifying out-of-tolerance results and to perform an international pilot study to test the audit design.

methodsSix members of an international Dosimetry Audit Network (DAN) developed an audit for radiochromic film dosimetry. A single host center provided the materials to each participating DAN member to conduct the audits. Materials included: (1) a set of two irradiated audit films (10 Sq: 10 cm × 10 cm, 15 Sq: 15 cm × 15 cm), (2) a reference calibration film set, and (3) a blank sheet of film. The participants were blinded to the dose and tasked with producing dose maps using their standard film dosimetry process. Average Region-Of-Interest (ROI: 2 cm × 2 cm) dose was measured from the dose maps and compared to the known dose. In the audit, all participants used their local scanning and software protocols. Film calibration was performed in two distinct ways: (1) using a calibration film set which was provided by the host center and (2) using a calibration film set which was locally irradiated. Several variations of the audit were also performed to examine how scanning and software processing can affect film dosimetry results. In the first variation of the audit (VariantA), a set of film scans was processed using five different software solutions. In the second variation of the audit (VariantB), all films were scanned on the same scanner and processed using two in-house software solutions.

resultsTaking one film scan from each participant, the standard deviations (1σ) (SD) in the dose returned from the host calibration and returned from the local calibration were ±7.2% and ±6.5% respectively, with variations from -12.4% to 12.9% of the known dose. The larger dose variations in the data set were attributed to the corrections applied for variations in scanner brightness during processing and incorrectly assigned calibration doses. When the raw image data set was processed by an expert user of each software solution (VariantA) the SDs were ±2.7% and ±3.7% for in-house and vendor-based software, respectively. When the films were scanned on a single scanner and processed with the two in-house software solutions (VariantB) the results had a SD of ±2.3%.

conclusionsAn audit has been designed and tested for radiotherapy film dosimetry at an international level. A framework for diagnosing issues within a film dosimetry process has been proposed that could be used to audit centers that use film as a dosimeter. Incorporating quality assurance throughout the film process is important in obtaining accurate and consistent film dosimetry. A better understanding of vendor-based software systems is necessary for users to process accurate and consistent film dosimetry.

Indexed as

Film DosimetryCalibrationInternationalityauditfilm dosimetryquality assurance

Identifiers

PMID39316455
PMCPMC11656281

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.