GARD

Introduction

The GARD* (geometric accuracy radiotherapy device) is designed to fit into the block tray slot of the therapy machine, providing a fixed reference point for all measurements. This helps to eliminate errors associated with using independent devices for each geometric parameter.

Applications

A comprehensive quality assurance (QA) program is necessary to ensure that a radiotherapy machine can accurately reproduce and deliver the prescribed radiation dose to the target volume. It is of fundamental importance to test and verify the geometric accuracy of a radiotherapy machine in order to achieve this goal. GARD is a tool designed to check the mechanical position and precision of movements of the modern isocentric radiotherapy machines. It fits into the block tray slot of a therapy machine, providing a fixed reference point for all measurements. This eliminates errors associated with using independent devices for the verification of each geometric parameter. GARD can be used to check field-positioning aids such as digital readouts, lasers, Optical Distance Indicator (ODI), light field and radiation field coincidence, and field flatness.

You can check:

• Optical Distance Indicator Check
• Gantry Angle Readout
• Collimator Angle Readout
• Side Laser Alignment
• Ceiling Laser Alignment
• Sagittal Laser Alignment
• Cross Hair Alignment
• Light field size check
• Light Field/ Radiation Field Coincidence
• Multi-leaf Collimator Check
• Field Flatness
• Couch Alignment