Clinical use of electronic portal imaging: Report of AAPM radiation therapy committee Task Group 58

AAPM Task Group 58 was created to provide materials to help the medical phy sicist and colleagues succeed in the clinical implementation of electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) in radiation oncology. This complex technolo gy has matured over the past decade and is capable of being integrated into routine practice. However, the difficulties encountered during the specifi cation, installation, and implementation process can be overwhelming. TG58 was charged with providing sufficient information to allow the users to ove rcome these difficulties and put EPIDs into routine clinical practice. In a nswering the charge, this report provides; comprehensive information about the physics and technology of currently available EPID systems; a detailed discussion of the steps required for successful clinical implementation, ba sed on accumulated experience; a review of software tools available and cli nical use protocols to enhance EPID utilization; and specific quality assur ance requirements for initial and continuing clinical use of the systems. S pecific recommendations are summarized to assist the reader with successful implementation and continuing use of an EPID, (C) 2001 American Associatio n of Physicists in Medicine.