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Beam commissioning. Peace of mind. Automated.
Overview
SMARTSCAN™ from IBA - Automated and guided beam commissioning
SMARTSCAN is an efficient and precise solution to run your beam commissioning. It guides your workflow efficiently and gives you automated control and overview at the same time.
Beam data quality drives patient safety
Commissioning a linear accelerator or a new RTPS with traditional manual water phantom systems is tedious work. Intensive manual user operation is required to measure and analyse about 1,000 beam scans. The entire scanning workflow demands continuous user interaction with the software and hardware – which takes days, weeks, and even more weekends and night shifts. The monotonous repetition of similar tasks to take the required measurements is susceptible to human error.
Commissioning is an intensive effort that requires in-depth experience. Faulty measurements need to be repeated. Sometimes the date is interpolated using fewer measurements, or beam profiles are flattened by algorithms. And you've put an enormous amount of personal effort into not compromising the data quality.
SMARTSCAN drives beam data quality
Quality. Automated.
SMARTSCAN is designed to deliver optimal beam data quality. It monitors and checks every single scan during the process. Suspicious measurements are flagged immediately. This enables you to reach the highest standards in the shortest time - constantly.
Efficiency. Automated.
SMARTSCAN guides you safely through the whole commissioning process and automates repetitive tasks. The process is transformed into a supremely efficient experience for the user. On the other hand, it allows a sooner clinical implementation of LINACs and RTPS.
Peace of Mind. Automated.
With SMARTSCAN, you will finally have the certainty that your RTPS and LINAC work on a reliable data base - the foundation for a safe and accurate treatment of your patients.
Beam scanning. Guided.
SMARTSCAN guides users screen by screen through the scanning workflow, from preparation to execution. SMARTSCAN groups all tasks to reduce manual changes to a minimum and suggests settings for the LINAC. As soon as the Stealth Chamber detects the beam, SMARTSCAN automatically performs the next group of
the measurements. In the same way, the user is guided whenever a change of detector or other setup tasks are required.
Beam scanning. Automated.
SMARTSCAN automates most of the repetitive tasks while executing the beam scan queue. Every beam profile and depth dose curve [FF/FFF] measurement is instantly checked for flatness, beam symmetry, and signal noise. If the set limit values are exceeded, SMARTSCAN informs the user immediately. After three consecutive, poor measurements, SMARTSCAN pauses and suggests a setup check; otherwise, further measurements would be wasted. In addition, SMARTSCAN repeatedly checks background noise and performs electrometer normalizations for every field.
Automated and guided
- Scanning queue definition
The user defines the correct scanning queue based on the local LINAC and TPS setup. This is supported by templates specific to the TPS. The queue can be easily adapted. SMARTSCAN gives guidance for correctly chosen equipment and protocols.
- Measurement parameter optimisation. Automated.
For every beam profile and depth dose curve in the queue, SMARTSCAN automatically determines the optimal scan speed and output step-width.
It chooses the right sensor and electrometer input sensitivity to measure the signal at the highest precision.
- Organising the work. Automated.
Now SMARTSCAN runs a background measurement for every electrometer channel and sensitivity, followed by LINAC dose-rate measurement to determine the characteristics of the LINAC.
For all scanning groups in the queue, SMARTSCAN determines the required LINAC Monitor Units. Based on all this information, SMARTSCAN now sorts the work items to reduce the number of required user interactions and the movement path of the sensor to a minimum.
- Setup alignment check. Automated.
SMARTSCAN performs an automatic LINAC alignment check. This ensures the perfect alignment of the central axes of the beam to the axes of the 3D mechanics, as well as to the water surface.
It automatically corrects minor adjustments to the centre where necessary and appropriate.
- Full system check. Automated.
SMARTSCAN confirms the accuracy of the entire system set-up by running a small set of selected key measurements. If the data quality is poor, the physicist can now tune the setup before starting the extensive series of measurements. Key checks include beam symmetry, dmax value, signal noise, background noise, and scatter influence.
GO.
SMARTSCAN now executes an extensive and optimised worklist.
While performing as many measurements as possible automatically, SMARTSCAN guides the user through all required detector changes and inputs on the LINAC console.
- Signal input normalisation. Automated.
SMARTSCAN automatically performs an electrometer signal normalisation at each change of field size, energy or detector.
- Online QA check. Automated.
SMARTSCAN performs an immediate quality check for each measured profile and informs the user in case of detected deviations. SMARTSCAN automatically checks for the correct field size and signal noise behaviour.
Beam commissioning 4.0
Beam scanning. Guided.
Beam scanning. Automated.
