Electronic intracavitary brachytherapy quality management based on risk analysis: The report of AAPM TG 182

• Published in: Medical physics (Lancaster) Vol. 47; no. 4; pp. e65 - e91
• Main Authors: Thomadsen, Bruce R., Biggs, Peter J., Cardarelli, Gene A., Chu, James C. H., Cormack, Robert A., Feng, Wenzheng, Heaton, H. Thompson, Hiatt, Jessica R., Law, Jonathan N., Limmer, Jeffery P., Ouhib, Zoubir, Pai, Sujatha, Pillai, Sushakumari, Ringor, Michael R., Rivard, Mark J., Waldron, Timothy J., Caldwell, Barrett S., Holt, Randall W., Pike, Tina L., Safigholi, Habib, Stacey, Christopher, Weigand, Frank
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-04-2020
• Subjects: brachytherapy; Brachytherapy - instrumentation; Electrical Equipment and Supplies; electronic brachytherapy; quality assurance; Quality Control; quality management; radiotherapy; Research Report; risk analysis; Risk Assessment; Societies, Medical; Workflow; risk assessment; quality management; quality control; quality assurance; radiotherapy; electronic brachytherapy; brachytherapy; risk analysis
• ISSN: 0094-2405; 2473-4209
• DOI: 10.1002/mp.13910

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to provide guidance on quality management for electronic brachytherapy.
Materials and Methods
The task group used the risk‐assessment approach of Task Group 100 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. Because the quality management program for a device is intimately tied to the procedure in which it is used, the task group first designed quality interventions for intracavitary brachytherapy for both commercial electronic brachytherapy units in the setting of accelerated partial‐breast irradiation. To demonstrate the methodology to extend an existing risk analysis for a different application, the task group modified the analysis for the case of post‐hysterectomy, vaginal cuff irradiation for one of the devices.
Results
The analysis illustrated how the TG‐100 methodology can lead to interventions to reduce risks and improve quality for each unit and procedure addressed.
Conclusion
This report provides a model to guide facilities establishing a quality management program for electronic brachytherapy.