ARPANSA’s Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS) has carried out its first live stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) audit which supports dose accuracy in radiation therapy used to treat brain cancer.
The audit provides radiotherapy clinics with assurance that they are delivering accurate radiation doses to patients.
The first live audit was completed at the Townsville Cancer Centre within the Townsville University Hospital in Queensland. The audit process was refined over recent years as part of an extensive field trial to support the assessment of dose accuracy for this important radiotherapy technique.
‘Last year in Australia, more than 1890 new cases of brain cancer were diagnosed,’ said Rhonda Brown, Director ACDS.
‘It’s of paramount importance for radiation oncology providers and patients to know that the radiation treatment plans being delivered to treat brain cancer and tumours in brain tissue are safe and accurate.’
‘We’re delighted to be able to offer live audits for SRS treatments and contribute to patient safety.’
This milestone is another first for ARPANSA and the Townsville Cancer Centre, which is home to the first MRI-Linac audited by ACDS in 2019.
As part of the recent visit, the team also conducted a scheduled audit on the MRI-Linac. The ACDS perform regular audits and measurements across Australia and New Zealand to ensure accurate and safe dose delivery. Audit results confirmed the effective implementation of the MRI-Linac, providing additional assurance of ongoing dose accuracy for patients in the region.
To find out more about ARPANSA’s work in auditing radiotherapy machines, visit the ARPANSA website.
