Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42458885›Full record

ArticleJournal of applied clinical medical physics2026

Computer vision mechanical QA: Development, characterization, and five years of clinical performance.

Rachel B Ger, Michael D Armstrong, Daniel G Robertson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of applied clinical medical physics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

3 authors.

Rachel B GerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Michael D ArmstrongHealthcare Technology Management, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Daniel G RobertsonDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Funding

Mayo Clinic Arizona
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundQuality assurance (QA) in radiation therapy is a critical component of ensuring accurate and consistent patient treatments, but many tasks are time consuming and rely on human visual acuity, which limits their accuracy. PURPOSE: We aimed to automate monthly mechanical QA tests, improve measurement accuracy and precision, and decrease inter-user variability using a computer vision-based quality assurance (CVQA) system.

methodsA custom marker board incorporating four ArUco markers was created along with a custom camera holder that mounted onto the gantry head. OpenCV was utilized to automate tests for couch translation, collimator and table angles, collimator and table walkout, optical distance indicator (ODI), and field size detection. A GUI was created to guide users through the tests, determine passing status of measurements based on MPPG8.b criteria, and display image captures to allow users to troubleshoot if needed. Reproducibility tests were taken across four days. The system was tested against manual measurements by graph paper or digital level for each test. Field sizes and ODI were read by 12 different physicists to determine human variability and comparisons for CVQA.

resultsThe CVQA system took 5 min to set up and 7 min to perform all tests. All field sizes, collimator/table angles, collimator/table walkout, and table translations were reproducible within 0.5 mm and 0.5°. ODI measurements were reproducible within 1 mm. Table travel, ODI, and walkout measurements agreed with manual measurements within 0.5 mm and 0.4°, except for vertical table motions that agreed within 0.9 mm due to the lens focus being optimized for the 100 cm SSD plane. The standard deviation between physicists for almost all symmetric and asymmetric jaws was larger than the reproducibility of CVQA. CVQA has been utilized for five years and has demonstrated ability to identify mechanical machine issues.

conclusionsCVQA successfully automates mechanical QA tasks, providing an efficient and precise system. CVQA is open source and freely available for academic institutions. Its adoption can improve workflow efficiency and consistency in clinical environments.

Indexed as

Image Processing, Computer-AssistedNeoplasmsParticle AcceleratorsPhantoms, ImagingQuality Assurance, Health CareRadiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedHumansQuality ControlRadiotherapy DosageRadiotherapy, Intensity-ModulatedReproducibility of Resultscomputer visionmechanical QAquality assurance

Identifiers

PMID42458885
PMCPMC13373447

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.