Testing of a medical linear accelerator's computer-control system

In August of 1987, the Radiation Oncology Center at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology became the first academic-medical-center user of Varian's computer-controlled therapy accelerator, a prototype version of the 2100C. Installation was accomplished by the retrofit of a computer system to our two-year-old Clinac 1800. Being well aware of the malfunctions that occurred in other computer-controlled accelerators, we took extraordinary measures to assure proper operation of the new, computerized, system. Our acceptance procedure included tests of (i) mechanical systems (isocentricity, digital readouts, etc.); (ii) radiation parameters (flatness, symmetry, output, etc.); (iii) manual safety systems (emergency off switches, etc.); (iv) the computer console systems (communications integrity, state integrity, etc.); and (v) the interlock systems (some 50 electrical, mechanical, and/or computer-controlled interlocks). As items (i), (ii), and (iii) do not differ significantly from the tests for a non-computer-controlled machine, they will not be discussed here. Rather, this report will concentrate on the methods that were devised to test the computer-control and interlock systems.