Typical Workflow
A typical workflow for generic QA tests, including creating a protocol from the predefined protocol templates, executing the tasks, and generating a test report, is as follows:
1. Set up the equipment (machines and measurement devices) in myQA Platform > Equipment Setup.
2. Create a QA protocol by copying a predefined protocol template and adapting it to the clinical QA routine in myQA Machines > Test Setup.
3. Assign the protocol to a certain machine and adjust it accordingly (e.g., by changing the reference
values and tolerances, by performing baseline measurements for the Dosimetry Plugin tests, etc.).
4. Execute the tests of the machine QA protocol in myQA Machines > Test Run.
5. Print the report in myQA Machines > Test Repository.
In the following sections, a workflow for each of the above steps is provided.
Step 1 – Set up the Equipment
The machines and measurement devices are defined in myQA Platform > Equipment Setup (see Chapter
4, myQA Platform Instructions for Use).
A Machine setup example in myQA Platform > Equipment Setup
Step 2 – Create a Protocol Template
- Click the workspace selection button and then select myQA Machines (1).
Note that the machines are listed in the Machines & Templates panel (2). - Select the Edit icon (3) in the ribbon to enter the Edit mode.
- Select Protocol Templates (2a) in the Machines & Templates panel and then Protocol Templates in the Protocol Tree panel (4).
- Under Protocol Templates (4a) in the Protocol Tree panel (4), select a predefined protocol template
(e.g., TG-142 General (4b)), and then click Copy (5) in the ribbon. - Select Protocol Templates (4a) again and then click Paste (6) in the ribbon.
Note that the name of the new protocol template has a suffix, (n), for the nth copy of the same protocol template (4c). - (Optional) change the name of the protocol template to be specific to each machine and add some
comments to the protocol:
Select a protocol template in the Protocol Tree panel (4) and then edit the name and description in the Definition panel (7). - Check the test parameters: select a test in the Protocol Tree panel (4) and edit it in the Definition panel (7) if necessary, e.g., if the Result Type is Numeric, click Edit under Acceptance Criteria, and then edit the parameters in the popup dialog (7a).
The Machines & Templates panel and ribbon are hidden in this example
Step 3 – Create a Machine Protocol
This step includes creating a protocol for a machine by assigning and adapting a protocol template and
setting it as an active protocol. Only an active protocol can be run in Test Run.
- In the Machines & Templates panel (2), select a machine.
- In the ribbon, click From Template (8), and then select a protocol template for this machine (8a).
Note that when the cursor is placed on a protocol template, its description is displayed (8b).
- Select a machine protocol in the Protocol Tree panel (4) and edit its name in the Definition panel (7) if desired.
- Select a machine protocol in the Protocol Tree panel (4) and then click the Set Active icon (9) in the
ribbon so that this protocol will appear in Test Run. - If necessary, the acceptance criteria of tests can be still edited in the Definition panel (7).
- Click the Save icon (10) in the ribbon.
Step 4 – Execute the Tests
- Click the Test Run button (1) in the Main Workspace Navigation area.
- In the Agenda panel (2), select the to-be-tested machine in the Machines group, and then a task in the Active Tasks group.
- Select a test in the Task View panel (3):
- For a Numerical test, enter the test value in the Actual box(es).
- For a Pass-Warning-Fail test, select an option.
- Optionally, if a note should be added / edited to a task / test, click the Edit button under Task / Test in the Task / Test Note panel (4), and enter the text.
- Click Finish.
- Repeat the steps in the Task View panel (3) until all tests are finished. Click Finish (5) in the ribbon.
- Select the next task if applicable and repeat the above steps until all tasks are done for this machine.
Step 5 – Print a Report
- Click the Test Repository button in the Main Workspace Navigation. All finished tests are listed.
- Use the filters in the column header to sort the tests to be printed.
Select the tests to be printed:
- Select a test, and then while pressing down the Shift key, click another test. This selects all tests
between the two selected tests. - While pressing down the Control key, click a test. The newly selected test is added to the group of
previously selected tests. - Click the Report icon in the ribbon.
- In the Report for Selected Tests window, click one of the Export buttons to export the report in a html / rtf / pdf format or the Print button to print a hard copy of the report.
Cut, Copy and Paste
Protocols, tasks, and tests can be cut / copied and pasted. This can be performed within the Protocol
Templates folder, within the same machine as well as between different machines.
- Copy an item to clipboard by selecting it in the Protocols tree and then clicking the Copy or Cut button (if this item shpuld be deleted after copying) in the Test setup ribbon.
- Select the new location, and then click the Paste button. If the select location has a wrong hierarchy,
the Paste button will not be enabled.
When performing cut / copy and paste on a test setup item, the substructure of the item will be preserved, e.g., a task will be copied and pasted with all the tests it contains. Also, the defined hierarchy protocol task test must be respected, i.e., a task cannot be pasted into another task, it has to be pasted into a protocol.
The extent to which a protocol will be copied from one machine to another depends on the type of the tests that belong to the protocol and the degree to which the properties of the source and target machine (i.e., energies, wedge angles, etc.) are matching.
- Non-dosimetry tests
The setup of non-dosimetry tests is not directly linked to the machine properties. Therefore, these tests will be fully copied (i.e., including description, expected values, tolerances) between two machines, regardless of differences between the machine properties. - Dosimetry tests
The setup of dosimetry tests is directly linked to the machine properties. Evidently, if a test is directly linked to a certain machine property, it cannot be copied to a machine that does not have this property.
Recovering the cut item after cancelling the paste action
Select an item (e.g., a Test Definition) in a Protocol of Machine 1 and click the Cut function in the ribbon
or context menu, and then click Paste in a Protocol of Machine 2. If Machine 1 and Machine 2 are different types or models, a warning message pops up:
By clicking the Cancel button, the cut item will not be recovered in the Protocol of Machine 1. However,
the cut item is still in the clipboard and can be pasted back to the Protocol of Machine 1 using the Paste
function in the ribbon or context menu,
Be aware that the clipboard is overwritten when another cut or paste action is done or emptied when the
save / cancel is executed.