Abstract
This study aimed to collect and analyze photon beam data for the Varian C-series linear accelerators (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA). We evaluated the potential of the average data to be used as reference beam data for the radiotherapy treatment planning system commissioning verification. We collected 20 data sets for 4 and 6 MV photon beams, and 40 data sets for a 10 MV photon beam generated by the Varian C-series machines, which contained the percent depth dose (PDD), off-center ratio (OCR), and output factor (OPF) from 20 institutions. The average for each of the data types was calculated across the 20 machines. Dose differences from the average for PDD at the dose fall-off region were less than 1.0%. Relative differences from the average for the OPF data were almost within 1.0% for all energies and field sizes. For OCR data in the flat regions, the standard deviation of the dose differences from the average was within 1.0%, excluding that of the 30 × 30 mm2 field size being approximately 1.5%. For all energies and field sizes, the distance to agreement from the average in the OCR penumbra regions was less than 1.0 mm. The average data except for the small field size found in this study can be used as reference beam data for verifying users’ commissioning results.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ezzell GA, Burmeister JW, Dogan N et al (2009) IMRT commissioning: multiple institution planning and dosimetry comparisons, a report from AAPM Task Group 119. Med Phys 36:5359–5373
Bedford JL, Warrington AP (2009) Commissioning of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 73:537–545
Ding GX, Duggan DM, Coffey CW (2006) Commissioning stereotactic radiosurgery beams using both experimental and theoretical methods. Phys Med Biol 51:2549–2566
Das IJ, Cheng CW, Watts RJ et al (2008) Accelerator beam data commissioning equipment and procedures: report of the TG-106 of the Therapy Physics Committee of the AAPM. Med Phys 35:4186–4215
Adnani N (2010) Design and clinical implementation of a TG-106 compliant linear accelerator data management system and MU calculator. J Appl Clin Med Phys 11:12–25
Ibbott GS, Followill DS, Molineu HA et al (2009) Challenges in credentialing institutions and participants in advanced technology multi-institutional clinical trials. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 71(Suppl. 1):S71–S75
WHO (2008) Radiotherapy risk profile. Technical manual, World Health Organization, Geneva
Glide-Hurst C, Bellon M, Foster R et al (2013) Commissioning of the Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator: a multi-institutional study. Med Phys 40:031719-1–31815
Beyer GP (2013) Commissioning measurements for photon beam data on three TrueBeam linear accelerators, and comparison with Trilogy and Clinac 2100 linear accelerators. J Appl Clin Med Phys 14:273–288
TrueBeam Representative Beam Data for Eclipse. Varian Medical Systems. myvarian.com
Tanaka Y, Mizuno H, Akino Y et al (2019) Do the representative beam data for TrueBeamTM linear accelerators represent average data? J Appl Clin Med Phys 20:51–62
Das IJ, Njeh CF, Orton CG (2012) Point/counterpoint: vender provided machine data should never be used as a substitute for fully commissioning a linear accelerator. Med Phys 39:569–572
Cho SH, Vassiliev ON, Lee S et al (2005) Reference photon dosimetry data and reference phase space data for the 6 MV photon beam from Varian Clinac 2100 series linear accelerators. Med Phys 32:137–148
Akino Y, Mizuno H, Tanaka Y et al (2018) Inter-institutional variability of small-field-dosimetry beams among HD120TM multileaf collimators: a multi-institutional analysis. Phys Med Biol 63:205018
Ronald JW (1999) Comparative measurements on a series of accelerators by the same vendor. Med Phys 26:2581–2585
Sheikh-Bagheri D, Rogers DWO (2002) Monte carlo calculation of nine megavoltage photon beam spectra using the BEAM code. Med Phys 29:391–402
Jaffray DA, Battista JJ (1993) X-ray sources of medical linear accelerators: focal and extra-focal radiation. Med Phys 20:1417–1427
Akino Y, Guatam A, Coutinho L et al (2015) Characterization of a new commercial single crystal diamond detector for photon- and proton-beam dosimetry. J Radiat Res 56:912–918
Akino Y, Gibbons JP, Neck DW et al (2014) Intra- and intervariability in beam data commissioning among water phantom scanning systems. J Appl Clin Med Phys 15:251–258
Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge the support of Katarou-kai and the following people for providing the beam data.
Funding
This study was funded by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP17K17850.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The third author, Y. Akino, is a developer of the commercial software Akilles RT, which was used for analysis in this study.
Research involving animal and human rights
This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tanaka, Y., Mizuno, H., Akino, Y. et al. Collection and analysis of photon beam data for Varian C-series linear accelerators: a potential reference beam data set. Phys Eng Sci Med 43, 889–901 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13246-020-00885-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13246-020-00885-0