Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 64E-5.641 - Full Calibration Measurements on Teletherapy Units

(1) A licensee authorized to use a teletherapy unit for medical use shall perform full calibration measurements on each teletherapy unit:

(a) Before the first medical use of the unit;

(b) Before medical use whenever spot-check measurements indicate that the output differs by more than 5 percent from the output obtained at the last full calibration corrected mathematically for radioactive decay;

(c) Before medical use following replacement of the source or following reinstallation of the teletherapy unit in a new location;

(d) Before medical use following any repair of the teletherapy unit that includes removal of the source or major repair of the components associated with the source exposure assembly; and

(e) At least every 12 months.

(2) Full calibration measurements shall include the determination of:

(a) The output within 3 percent for the range of field sizes and for the distance or range of distances used for medical use;

(b) The coincidence of the radiation field and the field indicated by the light beam localizing device;

(c) The uniformity of the radiation field and its dependence on the orientation of the useful beam;

(d) Timer constancy and linearity over the range of use;

(e) On-off error; and

(f) The accuracy of all distance measuring and localization devices in medical use.

(3) A licensee shall use the dosimetry system described in Rule 64E-5.640, F.A.C., to measure the output for one set of exposure conditions. The remaining radiation measurements required in paragraph 64E-5.6411(2)(a), F.A.C., may be made using a dosimetry system that indicates relative dose rates.

(4) A licensee shall make full calibration measurements required by subsection 64E-5.6411(1), F.A.C., using the manufacturer's published protocols, published protocols as accepted by nationally recognized bodies or equivalent procedures that have been submitted to the department. An example of a nationally recognized body is the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

(5) A licensee shall correct mathematically the outputs determined in paragraph 64E-5.6411(2)(a), F.A.C., for physical decay monthly for cobalt 60 and at least every 6 months for cesium 137.

(6) Full calibration measurements required by subsection 64E-5.6411(1), F.A.C., and physical decay corrections required by subsection 64E-5.6411(5), F.A.C., shall be performed by the authorized medical physicist.

(7) A licensee shall maintain a record of each calibration of each teletherapy unit for three years. The record shall include:

(a) The date of the calibration;

(b) The manufacturer's name, model number, and serial number for both the teletherapy unit and the source;

(c) The model numbers and serial numbers of the instruments used to calibrate the teletherapy unit;

(d) The results and an assessment of the full calibration to include the following:

1. The tables that describe the output of the unit over the range of field sizes and for the range of distances used in radiation therapy;

2. A determination of the coincidence of the radiation field and the field indicated by the light beam localizing device;

3. The measured timer accuracy for a typical treatment time;

4. The calculated on-off error;

5. The estimated accuracy of each distance measuring or localization device; and

6. The signature of the authorized medical physicist.

Notes

Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 64E-5.641

Rulemaking Authority 404.022, 404.051, 404.061, 404.071, 404.081, 404.141 FS. Law Implemented 404.022, 404.051(1), (4), (5), (6), (8), (9), (10), (11), 404.061(2), (3), 404.071(1), 404.081, 404.141 FS.

New 8-25-91, Amended 5-12-93, Formerly 10D-91.760, Amended 2-11-10.