Measurement Workflows
Depending on which button is clicked in the Measure and Analyze group, three workflows can be used to perform daily PBS QA:
1. Perform measurement and analysis ( ); see Section 7.1.1
2. Load an image ( ) and then perform the analysis on it ( ); or perform analysis again on the
measured image. See Section 7.1.2
3. Perform automatic measurement and (synced with the PT delivery machine) and analyze it ( ); see
Section 7.1.3
Note: Before a test run, please check the pixel defect filtering parameters edited in the myQA Platform - Options - myQA PT - Sphinx Plugin workspace. The default parameter values can be viewed and edited (see Section 3.2.4, myQA Platform Instructions, where the defect filtering algorithm is also described).
Note: For measurements using the Sphinx Compact device, please wait optimally 2 minutes between connecting the device and starting a measurement.
About background measurements
To acquire an optimal image, the user needs to perform background subtraction. The background image needs to be acquired at least once per measurement session, but not for each image as myQA rescales the background image using the integration time.
As in the FIMEL application, background measurements take both the switching noise and the intrinsic
noise into account. If the default value is 20 s, the background acquisition will take more than 40 s^1.
^1: The parameter, ‘BackgroundSamplingTime’, in the myQA configuration file is for the measurement of the intrinsic noise and is 20 s by default. To better match the use case, the user can change the parameter, “MQA_SphinxPlugin_BackgroundSamplingTime”, in the configuration file (open
For measurements with the Sphinx Compact device, it is recommended to acquire a background just before acquiring the image during the daily check.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: BACKGROUND SHOULD NOT BE OLDER THAN 10 MINUTES
The background should not be older than 10 minutes before acquiring an image.
About image default settings
Images acquired with a Lynx PT with Sphinx phantom have the following default settings:
- Uniformity calibration applied. The uniformity calibration file loaded in the Equipment Setup workspace is select by default. The filename with the Camera ID is displayed in the Test Run workspace.
- Geometrical correction applied.
- Median filter applied (size: 5 pixel).
- Correction slope (Y).
Images acquired with a Sphinx Compact have the following default settings:
- Uniformity calibration applied. The uniformity calibration file loaded in the Equipment Setup workspace is select by default. The filename is displayed in the Test Run workspace.
- Depth calibration applied. The depth calibration file loaded in the Equipment Setup workspace is selected by default.
- Defect pixel correction applied. The defect correction parameters from the Sphinx Settings in the myQA Platform - Options workspace.
The status (“true” or “false”) of the following parameters can be changed in the configuration files:- Geometrical correction
- Median filter
Note: When a session is restarted from sleep mode, the Lynx connection may be lost although the displays shows as if it still connected and a measurement can be started. However, after a few minutes, an error message pops up and informs the user to reconnect the detector. The User should click the Disconnect button and then the Connect button in the Measurement ribbon.
WARNING: SATURATED IMAGES
If the image is saturated, a warning sign will appear in the Measure & Analyze group. By placing the cursor on the warning sign, the following warning message appears:
“The image appears to contain saturated frames”, where is the actual number of frames where saturation was detected.
If it is an imported image, it is not qualified to be used for analysis. If it is a measured image, the measurement should be repeated with a different gain value of the Sphinx Compact or with a modified map by decreasing MU/spot where the image is saturated.
Workflow 1 - Perform Measurements Manually and Analysis
- In Agenda, select a machine to be tested under Machines (1), and a task to be run in the Active tasks list (2).
Note: If desired, the parameters for a test can be edited by selecting the tab of this test, e.g., for Couch Translation test (3c), the parameters in the Actual column can be entered them manually.
- Select the detector (3), click the connect button (4) to connect myQA Machines PT to the device, enter the measurement time (5), gain (for Sphinx Compact) or iris aperture (for Lynx PT with Sphinx phantom) (6), and click (7) to measure the background.
- Click
(8), and the measurement will start. After the measurement finishes, analyses for test
categories, Energy, Homogeneity, Spot, and Coincidence are automatically executed. - Perform analyses for the test categories, Output and Couch Translation (see Section 7.2 for the description of the tests).
- (Optional) click the Save Image button. The image will be saved in DICOM format.
- To finish the tests, click Finish in the lower-right corner. The summary of the test results is displayed.
- To finish the task, click Finish in the ribbon. If the overall status should be changed, checkmark the Override status box, and then select a new status in the combo box.
For more information of the Finish Task dialog, see Section 2.1.4, myQA Machines Instructions for Use.
- Click the Finish button to finish the task, or to finish the task and create a task report click the Finish & Report button. For more information about a report, see Section 2.1.5 in myQA Machines Instructions for Use and Chapter 8.
An example of a Lynx map (Sphinx Plugin - Measurement Example.dcm) and a test protocol (Sphinx Plugin-Protocol Template.xml) are provided in: C:\ProgramData\IBA Dosimetry\MachineQA \SphinxSamples. It can be used to practice the workflow 2.
Users can use this example to practice the workflow 2.
Workflow 2 - Load an Image and Perform Analysis
If an image already exists, go directly to Step 3.
- In Agenda, select a machine to be tested under Machines (1), and a task to be run in the Active Tasks list (2).
Note: The parameters in the Actual column will be filled by analyzing the loaded image or entered manually (3).
- Click
(3). In the Load Image Manually window, select an image and click OK.
If the DICOM image is older than one hour, or does not have the beam type information, a warning message is displayed. To continue the import, click OK; the image is displayed.
If the beam type of the loaded DICOM image is different from the one specified in the protocol, a warning message appears and the image cannot be loaded.
WARNING: QUALTY OF IMPORTED IMAGES
The software only checks the imported image. Please ensure that they are suitable for the comparison.
If the beam type of the loaded image cannot be read (e.g., not available), a caution will pop up but the image will be imported:
If an image is loaded with a different beam type than defined in the protocol, a warning will pop up and the image will not be imported:
- Click
(4). Analysis for the test categories, Energy, Homogeneity, Spot, and Coincidence will be
executed. - Perform analyses for the test categories, Output and Couch Translation (see Section 7.2).
- (Optional) click
(5). The image will be saved in DICOM format.
- To finish the tests, click Finish in the lower-right corner. The summary of the test results is displayed.
- To finish the task, click Finish in the ribbon. If the overall status should be changed, checkmark the Override status box, and then select a new status in the combo box.
- For more information of the Finish Task dialog, see Section 2.1.4, myQA Machines Instructions for Use.
- Click the Finish button to finish the task, or to finish the task and create a task report click the Finish & Report button. For more information about a report, see Section 2.1.5 in myQA Machines Instructions for Use and Chapter 8.
Workflow 3 - Perform Automatic Measurements and Analysis
This workflow is only for IBA PT Users with PTS R11 (and above).
- In Agenda, select a machine to be tested under Machines (1), and a task to be run in the Active Tasks list (2).
- Select the detector (3), enter the iris aperture (for Lynx PT with Sphinx phantom) or gain (for Sphinx Compact) (4), click the Connect button (5) to connect myQA Machines PT to the device, and click (6) to measure the background.Note: It is not required to enter the measurement time. It will be retrieved automatically from the TCS (Therapy Control System).
- Click
(7), and the process info dialog opens. See the sub-section, Measurement and Analysis (Automation, IBA PT Users only), below for more information.
After the measurement finishes, analyses for the test categories, Energy, Homogeneity, Spot, Coincidence, and Couch Translation are executed. - Perform an analysis for the test category, Output (see Section 7.2).
- (Optional) the image can be saved in DICOM format using the Save Image button.
To finish the tests, click Finish in the lower-right corner. The summary of the test results is displayed. - To finish the task, click Finish in the ribbon. If the overall status should be changed, checkmark the
Override status box, and then select a new status in the combo box.For more information on the Finish Task dialog, see Section 2.1.4, myQA Machines User's Guide
- Click the Finish button to finish the task or to finish the task and create a task report, click the Finish & Report button. For more information about a report, see Section 2.1.5 in myQA Machines Instructions for Use and Chapter 8.
Measurement and Analysis Automation (IBA PT Users only)
Starting from PTS R11, myQA Machines PT and IBA PTS can communicate in order to synchronize
beam and lynx acquisition.
By clicking the button, the process info dialog appears:
i: Finished step; ii: Currently running; iii: Waiting to be executed
- Wait for beam to be ready
The myQA is waiting for the PTS machine to be ready to start a new irradiation (beam status: idle). - Wait for couch translation vector
The beam status ‘ready’ is retrieved by the system: the particle therapy machine is ready to start the preparation of a new irradiation. The myQA is waiting to retrieve the Couch Translation vector calculated by the dedicated software. - Wait for beam to be prepared
myQA has retrieved the Couch Translation Vector received by the dedicated software. It is waiting for the preparation / request of the beam to be completed.
Note: If the couch position is changed after the beam status is switched from 'in preparation' to 'ready', the new couch position is not retrieved and updated. - Wait for beam to be started
The preparation of the beam is completed. myQA retrieves this status.
User action required: click Start in the TCS (Therapy Control System). In the busy indicator, the message ‘Waiting for beam to be started’ is in progress. The irradiation is on hold because of the beam lock set by myQA. - Preparing for measurement
The user already pressed the Start button to start the irradiation in the TCS.
Preparing for the measurement is in progress.
The communication with the detector is Sphinx V1/ Sphinx Compact is started: meaning myQA sends the command for Iris opening (for Lynx PT with Sphinx phantom) or gain (for Sphinx Compact) and expected exposure time.
The irradiation time is retrieved by the TCS.
An additional 30 seconds is added to account for eventual beam pausing. - Releasing beam lock
The communication with the detector has successfully started
The beam lock is released.
The irradiation starts and the detector is integrating signal. - Performing measurement
The irradiation is complete.
The measured frame is displayed in myQA.
The effective exposure time is reported in the Test Run.
The tests are automatically filled.
Analysis – Description and Instruction
Categories of Energy, Homogeneity, Spot, and Coincidence
Once a button in the Measure & Analyze group is clicked, the resulting status for the Energy, Homogeneity, Spot, and Coincidence categories will be displayed in the tabs in the Results panel.
Cursor: displays the coordinate and intensity of the intersection of the two cursor lines (1).
Click a category tab and then select a test. The test results can be viewed in the Result panel (2). For the test categories that show a graph in the Results panel (i.e., Energy, Coincidence, and Homogeneity), the intensity of the cursor position on the curve is displayed in the lower-left of the graph.
In the homogeneity graph, the flattened region which is considered for flatness calculation is highlighted in a different color. The dotted line shows the cursor position (1)
Output category
- Click the Output tab and then select the test, and then enter the output values measured with PPC05
Couch Translation category
- Click the Couch Translation tab, select the test, and then enter the actual values from the X-ray image analysis.
Troubleshooting
If a spot is missing in the analysis (1) the user has two options:
- Increase the distance between 2 spots or,
- Position the spots in a staggered row. Please note, the offset should be higher than the tolerance.
Analysis of the energy test with carbon ion beams
The goal of the energy test is to determine different quantities characterizing depth-dose curves (range, distal fall-off, etc.). The algorithm in the SW is based on the determination of the edge of the energy block. However, in carbon ion beams, due to the fragmentation tail, it may be that the edge of the block is not well defined. In that case, the algorithm does not work.
To prevent this problem from happening, it is recommended to use a higher MU/spot for the spot close to the edge of the block (3) compared to the ROI (2). This ensures that the SW can distinguish it during analysis.
Manually install the 2017 Drivers
- Open CMD.
- Write "driverquery" and press Enter.
- Check if Point Grey Lightweight Kernel of 2017 is installed.
If the wrong driver or no driver is installed do the following:
- Go to the folder C:\Program Files\Point Grey Research\FlyCap2 Viewer\bin64
- Open GigEConfigurator.exe
- Select Firewall and Filter Driver Settings
- Deselect Install Filter Driver and confirm that you wish to uninstall the driver by clicking Yes on the Confirm filter driver uninstallation.
- A pop-up will appear confirming the uninstallation of the driver.
- Select the Install Filter Driver check box. A pop-up will appear prompting you to choose the location manually. Click OK.
- Select the folder C:\Program Files\Point Grey Research\FlyCap2 Viewer\driver64\PGRLWF and click OK.
- A pop-up will appear confirming the installation of the driver.
- Open cmd and enter “driverquery” to check that the correct driver is installed