Performing a comprehensive radio-physical examination of the leksell Gamma knife ICON treatment unit.

Abstract

Author(s): Ponnusamy Natesan, Senthil Manikandan Palaniappan, Sulthan Asath Bahadur, Muthiah Muthuvinayagam, Nishanth Sa-dashiva, Nanda Karthick

The Gamma Knife Icon unit is the latest radiosurgery equipment used for non-invasively treating intra-cranial diseases through Stereotactic radiosurgery treatment procedures. Performing radio-physical testing on the new Gamma Knife Icon unit before starting clinical procedures is essential to ensure its functionality. In line with the manufacturer's recommendations and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) formed Task Group 178 (TG-178), we conducted the vital radio physical tests for the newly installed Gamma Knife unit, including precision of beam alignment, measurement of Gamma Knife accuracy, Center Position measurements, off center position measurements, measurement of absorbed dose rate, and Relative Output factor measurement. We used high special resolution External Beam Therapy 3 (EBT3) GafChromic film and small volume ion chambers (Exradin A16, chamber volume 0.007 cc and PTW 0.125 cc) for the above mentioned tests. We also performed the source confirmation test with a 16 mm collimator. Our results are consistent with previous literature values and within international guidelines' acceptable measurement uncertainty tolerance.

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