There are many reports concerning patient-specific quality assurance (QA) for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). However, reports about the statistical results of QA are lacking. Management methods for the results of the QA are needed, even though we have the ESTRO group recommendation that a tolerance limit of 1.96 standard deviation (SD) be established in each institution. The purp...

MRI simulation is the process of acquiring high fidelity, high contrast resolution magnetic resonance images to identify true disease extent and proximity relative to adjacent organs at risk (OAR) for the purposes of radiation treatment planning. MRI simulation can be performed using dedicated MRI scanners in radiotherapy departments [1] or using MRI scanners sited in other departments as share...

BACKGROUND While it is widely accepted that vascular access (VA) haemodynamic surveillance should be performed, its real benefit has not yet been established. In addition, controversy still reigns over pre-emptive angioplasty of detected significant VA stenosis. This pilot study was designed to question the rationale of our decision-making process in VA management. METHODS All 12 adult patien...

Introduction: Very low, Low and Medium X-ray machines are used extensively for Superficial Radiation Therapy mostly used for Basal Cell, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma skin cancers. In most of cases, Superficial X-ray Therapy (SXRT) is preferred to Electron beams generated using a linear accelerator. SXRT tube characteristics may vary with the use of the machine for a lo...

The use of image-guided patient positioning requires fast and reliable Quality Assurance (QA) methods to ensure the megavoltage (MV) treatment beam coincides with the integrated kilovoltage (kV) or volumetric cone-beam CT (CBCT) imaging and guidance systems. Current QA protocol is based on visually observing deviations of certain features in acquired kV in-room treatment images such as markers,...

The present study seeks to investigate the role of cathepsin L in glutamate receptor-induced transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation and excitotoxicity in rats striatal neurons. Stereotaxic administration of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist Quinolinic acid (QA) into the unilateral striatum was used to produce the in vivo excitotoxic model. Co-administratio...

background: health system pharmacies, like other health care professional, practice under a number of mandated stan­dards. basic concepts of quality assurance (qa) standards should be applied to hospital pharmacy practice. the survey re­ported here is to assess qa system implementation and its standard indicators observation in tehran university of medical sci­ences (tums) hospitals' pharmacies...