Abstract
Background: To avoid inconvenience to patients due to linear accelerator down time in busy radio-therapy departments, treatment plans can be switched between linear accelerators provided that all exhibit the same same dosimetric characteristics. In other words linear accelerators should be beam-matched. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of beam-matching using VMAT plans. Materials and Methods: Dosimetric data with a 6MV beam from am Clinac 2100CD were taken as baseline values and other two units, a 2300CD and a Unique Performance, were factory tuned in accordance. An analysis of PDD data was performed for different field sizes to evaluate energy matching. Beam profiles for field sizes of 10×10 cm2 and 40 × 40 cm2 at depths of 1.5 cm and 10 cm were analyzed. The relative output factor and MLC dosimetric properties were compared with each machine to determine variability among the different models. Thirty patients from our database were selected, ten each for head and neck, thorax and pelvis sites. VMAT plans were created in the Eclipse treatment planning system for a Clinac 2100 CD for reference. and verification plans were created for each to compare point dose measurements. Results: The TPR 20/10 for 10 × 10 cm2 was well matched, showing no energy differences. Deviation of all point dose measurements fell within ±3%. Planar dose maps all showed greater than 95% of points with a passed area γ-value less than 1. Conclusion: Our study evaluation of beam matching with treatment planning modeling showed good agreement fior 6 MV beams across all three linear accelerators used in our clinical environment.