Improving allocation of scarce medical physics resources through a novel, comprehensive quality assurance device.

RT is an effective component of the treatment strategy for patients suffering from many types of cancer. Advanced techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), image-guided RT (IGRT), stereotactic body RT (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) improve outcomes and are delivered using medical linear accelerators (i.e., ‘linacs”). SBRT is especially appealing in modern settings, given that the precise treatments are delivered in 1-5 daily treatment fractions, as opposed to the 20-40 fractions required for conventional techniques. This improvement in treatment efficiency can positively impact delivery of care and the financial viability of providers of RT. The quality assurance (QA) that medical physicists provide is critical for safe treatments, yet there is a shortage of qualified medical physicists (QMPs), both in the US and globally. At the same time, more centers are introducing modern techniques that are more precise but intrinsically have more risk, due the high doses and geometric precision required. There is widespread noncompliance with industry standard QA protocols in the US and internationally. Existing QA devices have not evolved sufficiently to provide the precision, versatility and efficiency that is needed for high precision RT. Given these exacerbated safety risks, the market needs a paradigm shift in how QA is performed in modern RT. Wild Dog Physics (WDP) proposes to design and test a new-generation QA device, that addresses these unmet medical needs. We have trademarked this device the RetrieverTM. When complete, it will be more precise, efficient, and comprehensive than any QA solution currently on the market. The proposed project seeks to develop a clinical prototype to be tested in the Radiation Therapy clinic at the University of Kentucky, as well as partner organizations seeking to improve operational efficiency. Having proven feasibility in our feasibility study, we seek to advance this innovation to commercial viability in Phase 2 through three specific aims: 1) hardware refinement, to allow measurement of machine performance metrics to within 0.5 mm and 1% relative does; 2) software development to allow real-time data analysis, real-time compliance assessment and analytical tools that can monitor long-term trends, abrupt shifts, and inter-machine and inter-institutional comparisons and; 3) clinical testing to validate the sensitivity and specificity of the Retriever to shifts in machine characteristics. We will work with key academic and clinical partners in the design and testing phases, including private practice medical physics groups for which operational efficiency and data integrity are paramount.