Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49th North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science Cancer Institute, 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Radiat Oncol. 2019 Apr 25;14(1):69. doi: 10.1186/s13014-019-1273-5.
To analyze and present the China's national survey on patient-specific IMRT quality assurance (QA).
A national survey was conducted in all radiotherapy centers in China to collect comprehensive information on status of IMRT QA practice, including machine, technique, equipment, issues and suggestions.
Four hundred and three centers responded to this survey, accounting for 56.92% of all the centers implementing IMRT in China. The total number of medical physicists and the total number of patients treated with IMRT annually in these centers was 1599 and 305,000 respectively. All centers implemented measurement-based verification. Point dose verification and 2D dose verification was implemented in 331 and 399 centers, respectively. Three hundred forty-eight centers had 2D arrays, and 52 centers had detector devices designed to measure VMAT beams. EPID and film were used in 78 and 70 centers, respectively. Seventeen and 20 centers used log file and 3D DVH analysis, respectively. One hundred sixty-eight centers performed measurement-based verification not for each patient based on different selection criteria. The techniques and methods varied significantly in both point dose and dose distribution verification, from evaluation metrics, criteria, tolerance limit, and steps to check failed IMRT QA plans. Major issues identified in this survey were the limited resources of physicists, QA devices, and linacs.
IMRT QA was implemented in all the surveyed centers. The practice of IMRT QA varied significantly between centers. An increase in personnel, QA devices and linacs is highly desired. National standard, guideline, regulation and training programs are urgently needed in China for consistent and effective implementation of IMRT QA.
分析并呈现中国针对个体化调强放射治疗（IMRT）质量保证（QA）的全国性调查。
在中国所有放射治疗中心进行了一项全国性调查，以收集关于 IMRT QA 实践现状的综合信息，包括机器、技术、设备、问题和建议。
共有 403 家中心对此项调查做出了回应，占中国开展 IMRT 的所有中心的 56.92%。这些中心的医学物理学家总数和每年接受 IMRT 治疗的患者总数分别为 1599 人和 30.5 万人。所有中心均实施基于测量的验证。331 家中心实施了点剂量验证，399 家中心实施了 2D 剂量验证。348 家中心配备了 2D 阵列，52 家中心配备了用于测量容积旋转调强（VMAT）射束的探测器设备。78 家和 70 家中心分别使用了电子射野影像装置（EPID）和胶片。17 家和 20 家中心分别使用了日志文件和 3D 剂量体积直方图（DVH）分析。168 家中心根据不同的选择标准，并非为每位患者进行基于测量的验证。在点剂量和剂量分布验证方面，技术和方法存在显著差异，从评估指标、标准、容限以及检查失败的 IMRT QA 计划的步骤等方面均有不同。此项调查中发现的主要问题是物理学家、QA 设备和直线加速器的资源有限。
所有参与调查的中心均实施了 IMRT QA。中心之间的 IMRT QA 实践存在显著差异。急需增加人员、QA 设备和直线加速器。中国迫切需要国家标准、指南、规定和培训计划，以实现 IMRT QA 的一致和有效实施。
