patient-specific QA
Also written as: PSQA — Patient-Specific Quality Assurance
Quality assurance measurements performed to verify the accuracy of individual patient treatment plans before delivery.
Full Definition
Patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) involves independent verification of treatment plan calculations and delivery accuracy for each individual patient. This typically includes phantom measurements using ionization chambers, diode arrays, or film dosimetry to compare measured doses with calculated doses. PSQA is mandatory for complex techniques like IMRT and VMAT. The process helps identify potential errors in treatment planning system calculations, data transfer, or machine delivery before patient treatment begins.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate when used as an adjective; may be written as PSQA in technical contexts.
In Context
- "Patient-specific QA revealed a 2.1% dose discrepancy requiring plan revision." — Physics QA report
- "All IMRT cases require patient-specific QA before first treatment." — Department protocol