Commissioning and QA workflows of MR-Linac with the THALES 3D MR SCANNER – Physics World

The market introduction of the MR-Linac technology improves the quality of patient care via the real-time imaging of the targeted PTVs. The online control of the PTVs permits the gating process of the radiation beam delivery reducing the amount of delivered dose on healthy and sensitive tissues. Conventional water phantoms with ferromagnetic material becomes prohibited due to the presence of the static magnetic field of MR-Linacs. To overcome this situation, LAP introduces the MR-compatible water phantom, THALES 3D MR SCANNER, to support the end users with the measurements of dosimetry distributions necessary to commission the beam model of the MRIdian Linac from ViewRay.

The key products specifications and end-user benefits will be presented by Dr Thierry Mertens (business development manager for LAP). Daan Hoffmans, MSc, physicist in Amsterdam UMC will share his clinical experience with the THALES 3D MR SCANNER including first evaluations presenting the use of the THALES 3D MR SCANNER with the Ethos™ (Varian) machine.

Thierry Mertens has a PhD in physics and has nearly 15 years of experience in medical physics and radiotherapy, with his major commitment being to develop innovative quality assurance solutions to support the medical end users with their clinical tasks. As business development manager for LAP since 2016, Thierry has been instrumental with the development of the THALES 3D MR SCANNER and had the opportunity to work closely together with pioneer users of the MRIdian system. Thierry has been instrumental in ensuring that the end-user needs are fulfilled by feeding back to the LAP R&D team.

Daan Hoffmans, physicist in the Department of Radiation Therapy of Amsterdam UMC, has been closely involved in acceptance, commissioning and defining QA strategy for state-of-the-art radiation units for 15 years. In 2016, Europe’s first MRIdian (ViewRay) system was installed in Amsterdam UMC. In that time, the market of QA equipment for MR-guided radiotherapy was still at an early phase, which demanded the maximum of Daan’s creativity and improvization skills. In the years following, a second MRIdian was placed, and both systems underwent several upgrades. During this period, Daan had plenty of opportunities to test and validate prototypes of what became THALES 3D MR SCANNER.