A multi-institutional comparison of acceptance testing data for a 0.35 T MRI scanner

Objective.To present and quantify the variability in the acceptance testing data for the imaging component of the 0.35 T magnetic resonance-linear accelerator (MR-linac).Approach.The current acceptance testing protocol by the MR-linac vendor was described along with the equipment and scanner parameters utilized throughout the process. TheBfield homogeneity, SNR/uniformity of the combined and individual receiver coils, American College of Radiology (ACR) image quality testing, and spatial integrity of the imaging data were collected from twelve different institutions. The variability in the results was accentuated and the ramifications of the results were discussed in the context of MR-guided radiation therapy.Main Results.TheBfield homogeneity was found to have a large gantry dependence with the median values being <4 ppm for all gantry angles. The SNR and uniformity were found to be well above the vendor-specified thresholds with a relatively small institutional-dependence. All institutions passed the ACR image uniformity tests. The largest institutional variability was noted to be for the slice positional accuracy test. The spatial fidelity was calculated to be <1.0 and <2.1 mm within a 100 and a 175 mm radius from the isocenter.Significance.The results from this study can be used to set the tolerances and formal guidelines for MR-linacs imaging quality assurance. Additionally, the multi-institutional data reported in this work will aid in future MR-linac acceptance and commissioning.