Profiler2_reference guide

PROFILER 2™ Reference Guide
The Water Tank Alternative

s
u
Your Most Valuable QA & Dosimetry Tools n

Reference Guide, PROFILER 2™
© Copyright 2005-2008 by Sun Nuclear Corporation. All rights reserved.
The information contained in this technical manual and the accompanying software program is
protected by copyright and all rights are reserved by Sun Nuclear Corporation. Copying, duplicat-
ing, selling, or otherwise distributing any part of this product without the prior written consent of
Sun Nuclear Corporation is prohibited.
Sun Nuclear Corporation reserves the right to make periodic modifications of this product without
obligation to notify any person or entity of such revision.
This guide is written for:
PC software: version 1.3
Firmware: version 1.2.4
PROFILER 2™, Profiler™, IC PROFILER™, SRS PROFILER™, Daily QA3™, and ATLAS QA™ are
trademarks of Sun Nuclear Corporation. Other trademarks or trade names are the property of their
respective owners.
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by Sun Nuclear Corporation could void the
user's authority to operate this equipment.
Document 1174011, Rev F, 22 August 2008

Sun Nuclear Corporation
425A Pineda Court
Melbourne, Florida 32940-7508
telephone + 1 321-259-6862
fax +1 321-259-7979
e-mail: contactus@sunnuclear.com
http://www.sunnuclear.com

Sun Nuclear Corporation is an ISO 13485:2003 registered company

EMERGO EUROPE
Molenstraat 15
2513 BH, The Hague
The Netherlands
Phone: +31.70.345.8570
Fax: +31.70.346.7299

ii

Preface
This section provides information about the latest PROFILER 2 firmware version (1.2.4), lists the
new features in PROFILER 2 software version 1.3, describes the conventions used in the PRO-
FILER 2 documentation, and lists safety instructions for using the PROFILER 2.

Firmware Version 1.2.4

Firmware version 1.2.4 or higher must be installed on the PROFILER 2 for proper operation with
software release 1.3. If firmware version 1.2.4 or higher is not installed on the device, the user is
prompted that a firmware update is required to save array calibrations or dose calibrations to flash
memory.
Firmware version 1.2.4 also allows the software to automatically read device information (such as
hardware version, product ID, and serial number) without accessing the device memory directly.
The latest PROFILER 2 firmware can be downloaded from the Sun Nuclear Corporation web site,
www.sunnuclear.com. See “Installing Firmware” on page 19 for installation instructions.

Software Version 1.3

Note: For software version 1.3 to operate properly, new firmware must be installed.
See “Firmware Version 1.2.4” .

Version 1.3 of PROFILER 2 software adds the following new features:

Data Plot View
The View panel has a new tab, Data Plot. The Data Plot view provides a visual display of beam
analysis parameters over the duration of the measurement. It can be used with saved files or real-
time. The plottable options are flatness, beam center, field size, point symmetry, dose per Pulse,
pulses/sec, dose rate, reference value, sensor voltage (or distance), and TPR (dose at depth). The
Data Plot view is only for multi-frame files,

Import Water Tank Measured Files
Water tank data can now be imported into the software. The imported data can be displayed, com-
pared, and manipulated using any of the PROFILER 2 tools. The supported import filters include
Pinnacle (Philips), Mephysto (PTW), and OmniPro (Welhoffer).

Smoothing
The Control > Smooth Data menu option invokes a gaussian smoothing algorithm which is
applied to the data before display/analysis. The extent of the smoothing is selected in the ‘Setup
Parameters’ dialog box. This option is disabled by default.

Analysis Panel Changes
• The analysis panel now provides a horns parameter for photon beams and 90% electron posi-
tion parameter for electron beams. The horns parameter shows the percent difference
between the left horn and CAX in one panel, and the percent difference between the right
horn and CAX in another panel. The 90% electron parameter display shows the outermost
position on the left and right of the value which is 90% of the maximum found within the
profile.
• The Varian acceptance formula for flatness has been added to the flatness options.

Preface iii

Beam Edge Interpolation
The default beam edge interpolation method has been improved. This arctangent method is more
accurate than the previous linear penumbra interpolation method. The user can still select the lin-
ear method in the Setup Parameters, if desired.

Invert X and Y-Axes
When ‘Invert’ is selected, the X-axis and Y-axis profiles of the selected file are inverted 180 degrees
horizontally on the graph. In previous software releases only the Y profile was inverted.

Top Plate Field Size Compensation
A new option in the Configure Analysis dialog box allows the software to factor in the inherent
buildup of the attached device when reporting the measured field size for calculating light/radia-
tion field coincidence. If enabled, the software reports the field size at the detector plane;
otherwise, it reports the field size at the overlay.

Prompt to Resave if Files are Changed
The software automatically detects if changes have been made to a file header, array calibration,
or dose calibration, and when the user closes the window it prompts the user to “re-save”.

Automatically Find Device
When the software is launched it automatically searches all ports for an attached device.

Zoom Options
• A button has been added to the Data toolbar that allows the user to normalize all displayed
graphs to physical center and zoom to the 85-110% view.
• A new option in the ‘Setup Parameters’ dialog box allows the user to select if zoom will be
permitted along the vertical and horizontal scales, or if only the vertical axis should be zoomed
and the horizontal axis should remain fixed at the length of the array.

File Name Suggestioning
When saving data, the software will automatically suggest a file name based on the current date.
The user can modify the file name, if desired.

Set Energy Quicklist
A ‘set energy’ option has been added to the Setup menu. The user can select an energy from the
quick list, or choose the option to enter a custom value. The energy can also be selected using
the Analysis panel context (right-click) menu.

Array Calibration Improvements
• The Array Calibration ‘Results’ window now displays a legend to identify the profile for each
step of the calibration.
• The on-screen array calibration instructions have been modified for clarity.
• When calculating calibrated detectors by Field Size, the Array Calibration window displays the
selected region with a blue box over the graphical template.
• Array calibration files can be saved in a format that is compatible with older versions of ATLAS
QA software.

Default Mode and Data Type
If the first file opened is a single file (*.prs) and it contains a dose calibration factor, the data type
will default to Dose; otherwise the default data type is Normalized. If the first file opened is a multi-
frame file (*.prm), the mode will default to Inst. Rate; otherwise the default mode is Total Dose.

Orientation Offsets when Exporting in SNC ASCII
When exporting data in SNC ASCII format, the export dialog now includes an option to apply ori-
entation offsets to the data. If this option is selected, the orientation offsets specified in the file
header are applied to the detector positions before the data is exported.

iv Preface

User Definable Background Collection Time
The background collection time is now user-configurable. The range is from 10 to 600 seconds,
and the default is 20 seconds.

User Definable Collection Interval
The sampling time (time between updates) can now be defined in the Setup Parameters dialog
box. There are separate settings for continuous radiation and pulsed radiation.

On-Graph Display Toolbar
• An On-Graph Display toolbar has been added to the left side of the view panel. This toolbar
contains buttons with graphical representations of the axes display options, such as all four
axes, primary axes only, diagonal profiles only, or an individual axis.
• The On-Graph Display toolbar to the left of the view panel also provides a new drop down
menu to select the type of analysis parameter that will be displayed in the Graph view and
Data view. The options are: None, Beam Center, Point Values, CAX Point Difference, Local
Point Difference, Point Ratio, Varian Point Difference, Area Average, and Area. The options in
bold type are new in this software release.
• The On-Graph Display toolbar has a Project to 100cm checkbox which adjusts all loaded pro-
files to 100 SSD before analysis and display.

Conventions

Button Name or Entry
Bold typeface indicates the following:
• A button name (i.e.,”…click the Edit button”), OR
• An entry that the user must type (i.e., “Enter the username ADMIN...”), OR
• An item for which an entry must be selected and the entry itself (i.e., “...select Photon from
the Type list box...”

Manual Titles
Italicized typeface indicates the title of a manual (i.e., “See the Reference Guide or Online Help...”).

Menu Options
Bold italicized typeface indicates a menu option (i.e., “...select Setup > Preferences from the
menu”).

User Messages/Cross References
Text within double quotes indicates the following:
• A message displayed to the user (i.e., “...the message “Your devices are ready to use” is dis-
played in the taskbar.”), OR
• A cross referenced subsection in this manual (i.e., “...see “Measurement Buttons” on page...”

Window/Dialog Box Names
Text within single quotes indicates a window or dialog box name (i.e., “...the ‘Program Prefer-
ences’ dialog box is displayed.”

Symbols

The following symbols are used in this document and in Sun Nuclear Corporation’s product labels.

! WARNING: Possible impact to personal safety.

Preface v

! CAUTION: Important notation.

Note: Important or supporting information.

Go To: Provides guidance for which procedure to perform next.

Manufacturer’s Identification (name and address).

Date of Manufacture.

Serial Number.

Catalog Number.

Consult instructions for use.

Authorized representative in the European Community.

Operating Information

• Read the entire manual before using the product.
• Use the product only within normal laboratory conditions maintained for human comfort: 18
to 30° C (64 to 86° F), 20 to 80% relative humidity.
• This unit is not to be used as a standard during the calibration of a radiation source. However,
the device can be calibrated to read absolute dose using data from a known source.
• If the device cannot be calibrated to match the readings of a known standard, return it to the
manufacturer for repair.
• In this manual, CAUTIONS are used to indicate the possibility of damage to equipment.
• Inspect cables periodically for damage. Return damaged cables to Sun Nuclear Corporation
for repair or replacement if any mechanical or electrical degradation is suspected.

vi Preface

Safety Instructions

Read and follow the following common-sense safety instructions:
• Do not use the equipment with any power that does not match the power ratings listed on
the power supply.
• Do not permit water or any other liquids to spill onto or into the instrument or associated
equipment.
• Do not permit any short circuit of AC power that may be hazardous to users.
• Do not use any power cord or power supply that is damaged or has broken insulation. Replace
them immediately.
• To protect insulation, never pull on the cable to disconnect the power cord from a wall socket;
always grasp the plug.
• Do not open or disassemble any device. Access to the inside of the device is for trained per-
sonnel only. There are no user-repairable parts inside. Return all devices to the factory for
repair.
• When connected to AC power, position the device so that the plug is easily disconnected and
is not obstructed.

Warnings and Cautions

CAUTION: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by Sun Nuclear Cor-
! poration could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

Preface vii

This page is intentionally left blank.

viii Preface

Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Setting Up the USB Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Firmware Version 1.2.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii USB Drivers for Windows Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Software Version 1.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii USB Drivers for Windows XP and 2000 . . . . . . 18
Data Plot View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Verifying Installation of USB Drivers. . . . . . . . . 19
Import Water Tank Measured Files . . . . . . . . . . iii Removing the USB Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Smoothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Installing Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Analysis Panel Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Setting up the Serial Port. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Beam Edge Interpolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Launching the Software and Connecting . . . . . . . 20
Invert X and Y-Axes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Launching Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Top Plate Field Size Compensation . . . . . . . . . . iv Finding the Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Prompt to Resave if Files are Changed . . . . . . . iv Find Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Automatically Find Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv To Select a Specific Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Zoom Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Connecting Multiple Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
File Name Suggestioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Shutdown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Set Energy Quicklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Removing PROFILER 2 Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Array Calibration Improvements. . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Software Removal (Windows Vista) . . . . . . . . . 21
Default Mode and Data Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Software Removal (Windows XP) . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Orientation Offsets when Exporting in SNC ASCII
Section 3. About PROFILER 2 Software . . . . 23
iv
Graphical User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
User Definable Background Collection Time . . . v
Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
User Definable Collection Interval . . . . . . . . . . . v
File Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
On-Graph Display Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Import > Planned Dose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Options > Dose Map Orientation . . . . . . . . 27
Button Name or Entry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
File > Import >Watertank Measured. . . . . . . . 28
Manual Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Select a Profile to Display Dialog Box . . . . . 28
Menu Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
PT Data Offsets Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
User Messages/Cross References. . . . . . . . . . . v
File > Export > SNC ASCII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Window/Dialog Box Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
File > Export> DQA Measurement . . . . . . . . . 30
Symbols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
File > Export > ADAC ASCII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Operating Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Edit > Edit Header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Editing the File Header. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Using Default Header Entries . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 1. About the Instrument. . . . . . . . . . . 1 Tools > Collect Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Intended Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Tools > Calibrate Array. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Edit SSD and Field Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Array Calibration Dialog Box (During
Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Calibration) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
More Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Tools > Calibrate Dose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Parts and Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Tools > Download Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Tools > Save Calibration to Flash. . . . . . . . . . . 40
Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Tools > Concatenate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Precision Template. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Setup > Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
End Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Setup > Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Power/Data Interface (P/DI). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Setup > Set Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Setup > View Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Finding Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Setup > Electron Wedge Calibration . . . . . . . . 47
Using Online Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Setup > Wedge Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Setup > Serial Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Help > About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Section 2. Software Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Context Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Toolbar Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Single Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Acquisition Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Multiple Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Display Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
USB Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Dose Calibration Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Serial Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Array Calibration Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Serial Connection with P/DI . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Data Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Serial Port Alternatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Contents ix

Status Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Viewing a Saved Calibration File. . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Movie Player Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Calculating Calibrated Detectors for Small Fields
On Graph Display Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 93
Legend Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Selecting Calibrated Detectors By Field Size . . 93
Legend Panel Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Selecting Calibrated Detectors By Profile Shape .
View Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 93
Graph View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Dose Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Graph View Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Adding a Dose Measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Data Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Saving a Dose Calibration To Flash . . . . . . . . . 96
Graph Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Changing the Dose Calibration Factor . . . . . . . 96
Zoom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Setting Up A Default Dose Calibration . . . . . . . 96
Hiding a Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Removing A Dose Calibration Value . . . . . . . . . 96
Normalizing the Graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Subtract Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
If Normalization Settings Do Not Match Data Recalibration Interval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Section 5. Measuring Radiation . . . . . . . . . . 99
On Graph Symmetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Positioning PROFILER 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Graph View Context Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Loading Calibration References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Header View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Array Calibration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Copy and Paste Header Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Dose Calibration Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Header View Context Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Inherent Buildup and Physical Depth . . . . . . . . . 101
Data View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Measuring A Single Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Beam Tuning View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Starting the Profile Measurement . . . . . . . . . 101
Data Plot View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Checking the Gain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Plot Settings Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Saving the Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Analysis Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Multiple Frame Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Analysis Panel Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Collecting Multiple Frame Data . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Changing the Analysis Panel Elements . . . . . . 72
Concatenating Two Measurements . . . . . . . . . . 103
Editing the Analysis Panel Parameters. . . . . . . 73
Concatenation Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Edit Field Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Continuous Radiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Edit Penumbra Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Checking Electron Energy With a Wedge . . . . . . 106
Edit Light Field and SSD Parameters . . . . . 74
Electron Energy Wedge Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Edit Flatness Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Electron Energy Wedge Calibration . . . . . . . . 106
Edit Symmetry Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Collect Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Edit Energy Analysis Parameters. . . . . . . . . 75
Load Electron Energy Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Edit Wedge Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
To Add a New Calibration Set . . . . . . . . . . 107
Edit Configuration Parameters . . . . . . . . . . 76
Apply Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Setting the Machine Energy in the Header . . . 77
Taking a Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Changing the Analysis Panel Position . . . . . . . 78
Photon Wedge Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Hiding Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Beam Tuning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Drag and Drop Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Section 4. Calibrating the System. . . . . . . . . 81 Using the Beam Tuning Display . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Array Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Data Analysis Using the Data Plot. . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Array Calibration Fixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Background Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Using the Data Plot Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Automatic Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Data Interpretation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Manual Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Section 6. Viewing Files and Printing . . . . . 113
Array Calibration Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Opening and Saving Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Array Calibration Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Selecting File Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Calibration Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Saving Measured Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Calibration Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Duplicating a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Re-Opening a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Step A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Closing a File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Step B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Clearing a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Step C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Hiding a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Step D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Changing Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Viewing the Array Calibration Results . . . . . . . 88
Comparing Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Saving the Array Calibration File. . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Movie Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Saving Array Calibration to Flash Memory . . . . 89
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Calibration with Saved Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Print Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Loading a Saved Calibration File . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Printing Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

x Contents

Printing Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Import Filter Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Importing Water Tank Measured Files . . . . . . . . 150
Section 7. Importing/Exporting Data. . . . . . 121
Water Tank File Import Procedure . . . . . . . . . 151
Importing Planned Dose Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Exporting Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Import Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
SNC ASCII Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
TPS Dose Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
From Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
About Dose Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
By Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Import Filter - Supported File Types. . . . . . . . 122
DQA3 Measurement Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
About EPIDose Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Pinnacle Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
About DICOM Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Header fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
PROFILER 2 Plan Grid Resolution . . . . . . . . . 122
Data Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Preparing Dose Maps for Import . . . . . . . . . . 123
Wedge and Circular Collimator . . . . . . . . . 155
Exporting 3D Line ERGO++ Files . . . . . . . . . 123
Export Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Exporting AccuKnife AccuSoft XL Files . . . . . 124
Exporting Pinnacle3 (Philips) Files . . . . . . . . . 124 Section 8. Interpreting Measurements . . . . 157
Exporting BrainLAB Brain Scan Files . . . . . . . 127 Assuring Accurate Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Exporting CMS Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Focus and XIO files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Reporting Hardware or Software Faults . . . . . 157
Generate a General Dose Plan Export File 127 Calibration Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Generate a Beam Map File Using the Decimal Array Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Calibration Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Exporting Elekta Precise Plan Files . . . . . . . . 129 Theory of Calibration Using Wide Fields . . . . 158
Exporting Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care Profile Storage And Data Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Saving a Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Exporting MDS Nordion Helax TMS Files . . . 130 PROFILER 2 File Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Overly Complex DICOM File Format . . . . . 130 SRS Profiler File Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Exporting NOMOS CORVUS Files . . . . . . . . . 131 Profiler 1 File Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Exporting Nucletron Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Analysis of a Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Nucletron PLATO File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Field Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Nucletron Oncentra TP File . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Beam Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Exporting PerMedics Odyssey Files . . . . . . . 133 Light/Radiation Field Coincidence . . . . . . . . . 163
Exporting Prowess Panther Files . . . . . . . . . . 134 Penumbra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Exporting Radionics XKnife Files . . . . . . . . . . 134 Flatness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Exporting RAHD Alpha 3D Pro Files. . . . . . . . 136 Flatness Calculation by Variance . . . . . . . . 163
Exporting Siemens KonRad Files . . . . . . . . . . 136 Ratio (IEC) Flatness Calculation . . . . . . . . . 164
Exporting TGM ARTP (Topslane) Files . . . . . . 137 Varian Flatness Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Exporting Varian Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Symmetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
CadPlan File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 CAX Point Difference Symmetry . . . . . . . . 165
Eclipse File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Local Point Difference Symmetry . . . . . . . 165
Exporting Files in DICOM File Format . . . . . . 138 Point Ratio (Ratio IEC) Symmetry . . . . . . . 165
DICOM CR image file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Varian Point Difference Symmetry. . . . . . . 166
Exporting Files in SunCOM File Format . . . . . 139 Area Average Symmetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
SunCOM File Specification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Area Symmetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
SunCOM Optional Header Information . . . 140 Horn Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
SunCOM Required Keywords . . . . . . . . . . 140 90% Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Example SunCOM File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Beam Interpolated Flatness and Symmetry . . . . 168
Using the PROFILER 2 Import Filter. . . . . . . . 141 Beam Edge Interpolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Aligning Plan Dose Maps to PROFILER 2 . . . 142 Smoothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Beam Center Offset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Calculating Calibrated Detectors For Small Fields . .
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 169
Measuring an Equivalent Profile. . . . . . . . . . . 144 Profile Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Import Window Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Percent Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
TPS Import Window Menu Options . . . . . 145 Compare Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
TPS Import Window Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Data Type and Mode Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Inverting Imported Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Check for Dose Map Inversion . . . . . . . . . 147 Normalized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Excluding Import Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Inst Rate and Avg Rate Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Importing a Slice Or Volume File . . . . . . . . . . 148 Concatenated And Double Profiles . . . . . . . . 172
TPS File Import - Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . 149 Electron Energy Wedge Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Opening Plan Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Electron Energy Calculated by Slope Analysis 172
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Contents xi

Electron Energy Calculated by Intercept Analysis . Detector Layout and Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . 182
172 ATLAS QA Test Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Photon Energy Wedge Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Importing a PROFILER 2 Array Calibration File 183
Calculation 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Setting up the Scheme Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Calculation 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Setting Up the Template for Beam Tracking . 185
Calculation 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Calibrating the QA Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Real Time Studies During Accelerator Adjustment . . Measurement with ATLAS QA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
174 Preparing for Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Compare in Accelerator QA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Section 11. Maintaining Your System. . . . . 191
Fixed Wedge QA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Maintaining Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Moving (Dynamic, Virtual) Wedge QA . . . . . . 175
Parts and Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
About Profile Acquisition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Radiation Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Section 9. PROFILER 2 Accessories . . . . . . 177 Disposal and Recycling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Isocentric Mounting Fixture (IMF). . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Maintaining Software and Firmware . . . . . . . . . . 191
Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Verify Software Version Number . . . . . . . . . . 191
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Updating Software and Firmware. . . . . . . . . . 192
IMF Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Installing Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Varian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Siemens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 LED Indications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Elekta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 PROFILER 2 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Minimizing Radiation Damage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Contacting Client Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Section 10. Profiler 2 with ATLAS QA . . . . 181
About ATLAS QA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
PROFILER 2 Display in ATLAS QA . . . . . . . . . . . 181

xii Contents

1 About the Instrument

Intended Use

The Model 1174 Profiler 2 has two intended uses. Its primary intended use is QA measurement
and analysis of the radiation output profile across the beam of an ionizing radiation treatment
machine (LINAC or Cobalt 60). Its secondary intended use is the measurement of beam data in
radiotherapy departments for dose modeling in the treatment planning computer.

! WARNING: This product is intended to be used under the direction of a quali-
fied medical physicist.

Description

PROFILER 2 measures the radiation intensity along X and Y axes in a beam of ionizing radiation.
The instrument is used to test the output of a radiation therapy device such as a linear accelerator
(linac). PROFILER 2 is ideal for machine quality assurance, including beam modeling, verification
of dose, beam shape measurement, beam steering adjustments, light-field coincidence, electron
energy, and measurement of 30 cm dynamic wedges.

Figure 1-1. PROFILER 2 instrument for accelerator beam QA

The PROFILER 2 has 139 solid-state detectors at 4 mm spacing situated along X and Y axes to
allow simultaneous measurement in two perpendicular planes. The Y-array with 83 detectors, has
a maximum field of 30 cm at 100 cm SSD. The X-array, with 57 detectors, has a maximum field
size of 20 cm at 100 SSD. If necessary, larger field sizes are possible by taking concatenated mea-
surements at 100 cm SDD, or by taking a single measurement at a shorter SSD.
PROFILER 2 uses the same 25 meter cable as other Sun Nuclear products. The cable connects
the PROFILER 2 to a small power supply located outside the linac bunker. A computer is required
to communicate with the PROFILER 2 and display the data.

Intended Use 1

The PROFILER 2 software operates in Windows. Both rate and integrated profiles are measured
and displayed. The rate profile is a real time update of the beam intensity; each update can be
saved for later playback. There is no limit on the beam duration or integration. The data acquisition
cycle may be set to be triggered by accelerator pulses such that data is transferred while the beam
is off.

Features

• Simultaneous measurement on both X and Y axes
• 4 mm detector spacing
• Field sizes up to 20 x 30 cm
• Measures each accelerator pulse (dose per pulse)
• Trigger detectors that respond to the beam in microseconds
• Frame capture (up to 14 frames per second) and play back
• Measurement of dynamic wedges up to 30 cm
• Real-time measurement - profile and analysis data displayed instantly
• Beam tuning display shows dynamic changes in beam characteristics to see immediate
results of adjustments to the linac
• Data plot display provides a visual representation of the beam characteristics over time
• Ability to save profiles to disk
• On-screen comparison of saved profiles
• Concatenation of two measurements to measure beams as wide as 60 cm
• No limit on beam duration or integration
• Import water tank measured files and TPS dose maps.
• Export measurements to Pinnacle TPS.
• Daily software trending using the ATLAS software (optional)
• Optional Isocentric Mounting Fixture (IMF) places detectors at center of rotation and allows
measurement at all gantry angles

Applications

Typical uses of the PROFILER 2 may include the following:
• Commissioning—Before a TPS can be used to treat a patient, a series of tests must be per-
formed to establish the dosimetric properties of the accelerator that the TPS will use to
deliver its plan. PROFILER 2 accurately measures dosimetric information that can be exported
to a Pinnacle TPS.
• Periodic QA measurements—weekly, quarterly, or annual measurements can provide assur-
ance that the beam and the MLC are functioning properly. Saved standard measurements can
be compared to the periodic measurements to verify the exposure is the same.
• IMRT validation—Treatment planning files can be imported and their profiles can be directly
compared to the corresponding measured profiles.
• Machine adjustment—The PROFILER 2 can be used to verify that adjustments to the equip-
ment result in the desired beam shape, alignment, and dose. The machine can be checked
and adjusted for flatness, symmetry, penumbra, light-radiation coincidence, and field size on
either axis. The 4 mm spacing of PROFILER 2’s detectors lets you see flatness anomalies
along the beam. In Beam Tuning view, the results of the adjustment are immediately dis-
played, and you can quickly adjust the machine to specifications.

More Applications
In addition to simple profile measurements, you can use PROFILER 2 for additional applications:
• Concatenated measurement—Profiles of large beams, up to 60 x 20 cm, can be graphed by
making two separate measurements and concatenating the resulting data, creating a single
graph. Using a PROFILER 2, offset the array to capture one half of the beam. Center the cross

2 Section 1. About the Instrument

hairs on an offset detector location, selected as the pivot point. Then make an exposure.
When the data is received, select Concatenate from the menu, rotate the PROFILER 2 180
degrees around the selected offset pivot point, and make a second exposure. The second
measurement is concatenated to the first by the software, and the two measurements are
displayed as a single graph.
• Multiple frame capture—Multiple frame capture is like a taking a “movie.” You collect a regular
sequence of profiles over time.
• The playback options let you play back the collected profiles at variable speeds, using the
frame capture playback bar in the software.
• Multiple frame capture lets you study the characteristics of transient events during
warm-up, which may be important in IMRT applications.
• Continuous radiation—PROFILER 2 measures continuous radiation beams as well as pulsed
accelerator beams. This allows you to check machines such as cobalt-60 and certain X-ray
sources.
• Electron energy verification wedge—The electron energy verification wedge lets you verify
electron energy with a wedge phantom. After calibration and exposure, the PC software cal-
culates electron energy by slope or intercept analysis.
• Photon wedge analysis—Dynamic and virtual wedge routines can be viewed during and after
the wedge is formed. The measurement can be viewed, stored, and compared.
• Beam data export—Beam data can be exported to a Pinnacle Treatment Planning Computer
(TPC) for beam modelling.

Parts and Accessories

After unpacking, identify the following parts and accessories:

14 15 1 2 3 4

11 10 11 9 8 7 6 5

No. Part Number Qty Description
1 1174300 1 PROFILER 2 assembly
2 741008 1 Power converter, switching, 110-240 VAC, 1-phase, 50-60 Hz to 18 VDC
3 801008 1 Line power cord, IEC Plug to USA style
4 022230 1 Power/Data Interface (P/DI)
Figure 1-2. Parts available with the PROFILER 2

Parts and Accessories 3

No. Part Number Qty Description
5 801038 1 Power/serial data cable, 8-pin DIN, 25 m
6 801037 1 Power/serial data test cable, 8-pin DIN, 1.2 m
7 801032 1 Serial cable, 9-pin D type, 2 m
8 801041 1 USB cable, 2 m
9 1174030 1 Software CD (including PDF copies of documentation)
10 1174350 1 Calibration fixture, clear Lucite
11 1174354 2 Extension rail, calibration fixture
12 1174012 1 Getting Started guide (not shown)
13 117081 - Electron energy verification wedge, aluminum (optional) (not shown)
14 1174101 1 Build-up plate, Virtual Water, 1 x 30 x 35 cm
15 1174102 1 Build-up plate, Virtual Water, 2 x 30 x 35 cm
16 1174103 - Build-up plate, Virtual Water, 5 cm thick (optional) (not shown)
17 1175000-1 - Isocentric mounting fixture (specify linac manufacturer when ordering)
(optional) (not shown)
18 1174000-5 - Case, carrying (optional) (not shown)
Figure 1-2. Parts available with the PROFILER 2

The optional buildup plates (numbers 14 & 15 in the above table) may be required if you calibrate
at higher energies.

Setup Overview

The PROFILER 2 is quick and easy to use. To make a beam measurement, place the PROFILER 2
instrument on the treatment table and connect it to the computer. Then expose it to the beam. As
PROFILER 2 is exposed to radiation, the software instantly displays the acquired dose on the
monitor.
• In the treatment room, place the PROFILER 2 on the couch aligned to the lasers and directly
under the accelerator beam.

CAUTION: To prevent damage to the electronics, do not directly irradiate the electron-
! ics section (raised area) of the instrument.

• Connect the instrument to the P/DI unit in the control room with the 25-meter power/data
cable (threaded permanently through the cable tray or temporarily under the door).
• In the control room, install the PROFILER 2 software on a Windows computer.
• Connect the P/DI power supply to the power outlet and then to the P/DI unit.
• Connect the P/DI to the computer using a USB or serial cable. See “USB Connection” on
page 14 or “Serial Connection” on page 14.
• Launch the software and initiate communication with the instrument. See “Launching the
Software and Connecting” on page 20.
• Perform array and dose calibrations (if not already done). See “Calibrating the System” on
page 81.
• Collect a measurement. See “Measuring Radiation” on page 99. As dose is being delivered,
radiation profiles are displayed graphically and numerically.
• Review results, analyze measurements, compare exposures, and save files for later use.


Control Room Treatment Room
Figure 1-3. Using PROFILER 2

Construction

The instrument consists of a single flat housing with the detector arrays at one end and the elec-
tronics section at the other end.
• Array Section—The array section shows the location of the detectors mounted on the under-
lying circuit board as well as field size marks for proper alignment. The array detectors, shown
by small black dots, are spaced 4 mm apart. A precision alignment template is attached to
the top of the array section.
• Electronics Section—The analog and digital electronics are located inside the raised cover at
one end of the instrument, below the line indicated with the text “KEEP THE DIRECT BEAM
ABOVE THIS LINE. EXPOSURE MAY VOID WARRANTY.” The electronic components can be
damaged by radiation if exposed to the direct beam.1

CAUTION: Keep the electronics section out of the direct beam. Do not allow the direct

! beam to fall outside of the detector area or you could damage the instrument. Pro-
longed exposure of the electronics to direct radiation could void your warranty!

1. This device contains optichromic radiation dosimeters in the electronics area. To maintain warranty,
direct irradiation to the electronics must be avoided. The dosimeters will be read if this device is returned
for service. An indication of direct irradiation to the electronics will VOID the warranty.

Construction 5

Precision Template
The PROFILER 2 precision alignment template is shown below.

Last detector
in Y-axis array (83)

Alignment grid
Common center
detector (Y=42,
X=29)

First detector in
X-axis array (01) Last detector in
X-axis array (57)

Array section

Build-up
alignment hole First detector
in Y-axis array (01)
Bubble level

Electronics
section

Figure 1-4. Detector Locations and Geometry

• Alignment grid—The black rectangular alignment grids are for aligning the PROFILER 2
with the cross hairs and light field of the accelerator. Grids are provided for 10 x 10, 15 x
15, 20 x 20, and 20 x 30 cm.
• Detector location marks—The small black dots show the physical location of the
detectors in the X-Y plane. Each dot has a number which corresponds to the detector
number in the display.
• Alignment holes—There are two alignment holes in the bottom portion of the white area
which provide key alignment for build-up plates. The build-up plates have matching pegs
that fit into the holes.
• Bubble level—A bubble level, mounted in the top surface, is used with the leveling feet
on the bottom of the PROFILER 2 to adjust the array perpendicular to the beam axis.


End Panel

The PROFILER 2 end panel has the following connectors and LEDs:

Figure 1-5. End Panel Connections and Indicators

• REF—Reference detector for future application.
• PWR/DATA—Power input from the PROFILER 2 power supply and input/output of serial data.
• A, B, C, D—LED status lights for troubleshooting by Sun Nuclear technicians. See “Trouble-
shooting” on page 193.

Power/Data Interface (P/DI)

The P/DI (Figure 1-6) routes power to the instrument and translates communications between the
instrument and a personal computer. An external power converter automatically adapts to any
power source within the range of 100-240 VAC, 1 phase, 47-63 Hz.
With the P/DI, two types of computer connection are possible: USB (Universal Serial Bus) and
serial. Each type of connection takes a different cable. Both types of cables are shipped with PRO-
FILER 2.

Figure 1-6. Power/Data Interface (P/DI)

End Panel 7

Cables

The following cables are supplied:
• Power cord—a standard 3-wire, grounded power cord; connects to wall socket.
• Power/Data cable—25-meter round cable with two 8-pin DIN connectors. Connects the PRO-
FILER 2 to the P/DI. The cable carries both power and data between the PROFILER 2 and the
P/DI. The connector pins are 1:1 and may be connected to the PROFILER 2 and P/DI with
either end. (A similar 1.2-meter cable is used as a test cable.)
• Power converter—connects the power cord to the P/DI (power/data interface) located in the
control room. Supplies 18 VDC to the P/DI.
• USB cable—a standard Universal Serial Bus cable to connect the P/DI to your computer.
• Serial cable—a standard PC serial cable (RS-232) with M/F, 9-pin D-connectors to connect the
P/DI to your computer.

Finding Additional Information

The following information about PROFILER 2 is available:
• Tool Tip Hints—If the cursor hovers over a button or a function tab, a message appears in an
adjacent pop-up window. For example, if you hover the cursor over the controls on the toolbar,
little windows appear that contain the name of the button or function.
• Tip of the Day—The Tip of the Day box provides helpful tips and describes useful features to
help you learn more about the instrument. The Tip of the Day box opens automatically when
the program is launched (if enabled) or it can be opened from the Help menu. Click the arrow
buttons to scroll through the tips.
• Quick Start Guide—a single page document distributed with each new PROFILER 2. This doc-
ument provides abbreviated instructions to help you set up the device quickly and easily.
• User’s Guide —the brief, printed document distributed with each new PROFILER 2. This doc-
ument is a shortened version of the Reference Guide.
• Reference Guide—an electronic document (PDF) that is available on the distribution CD and
the SNC web site, www.sunnuclear.com. The Reference Guide contains detailed information
about PROFILER 2 including reference data, step-by-step operating procedures, and details
of calculations. Using Acrobat Reader (www.adobe.com), you can open, view, and print the
Reference Guide. When viewing the Reference Guide on your monitor, use hyperlinks to jump
from the table of contents, index, cross-reference, or Acrobat bookmark directly to a topic.
• Online Help—Windows Help that is available on the menu bar when the PROFILER 2 software
is running. The Online Help contains most of the same information included in the Reference
Guide.

Using Online Help
To get detailed help information, click Help > Contents on the menu. The Online Help opens in a
viewer (Figure 1-7).

Figure 1-7. Online Help


The left part of the window consists of four panes: Contents, Index, Search, and Favorites. Top-
ics are organized sequentially in the Contents or alphabetically in the Index. You can also perform
a full-text search and mark topics you use in Favorites.
Double-clicking any item in the table of contents, alphabetical index, and search results will dis-
play the topic you selected in the right side of the window. Click the arrow buttons at the top of
the topic to advance to the next topic or return to the previous one. Click the hyperlinked (under-
lined) text to jump to a related topic. Click the Back button on the toolbar to return to the start of
the jump.

Specifications

Table 1-1. PROFILER 2 Specifications

Category Characteristic PROFILER 2 Model 1174
Detector Array Quantity of detectors 139 solid state detectors
Detector type Radiation-hardened silicon diodes
Detector spacing 4 mm
Array width, X axis 22.4 cm, 57 detectors
Array height, Y axis 32.8 cm, 83 detectors
Center detector The center detector is common to both X and Y axes
Inherent buildup Water equivalent plastic, 1.00 cm
Total buildup to detector 1.00 ± 0.1 g/cm2
junction
Inherent backscatter Acrylic or polycarbonate,1.8 cm
Buildup plates Water-equivalent plastic, 1, 2 (supplied), and 5 cm thick
(optional)
Radiation measured • Electrons, 6 MeV to 25 MeV
• Photons, Co-60 to 25 MV
Beam limits Maximum dose per pulse: 7 cGy/number of pulses/10 ms
period
Maximum pulse 600 pulses per second
repetition
Alignment Light field alignment 10x10 cm, 15x15 cm, 20x20 cm, 20x30 cm
template
Tolerance marks ± 2 mm at the light field corners
Cross hair rotation 2 mm diameter circle at the center of light field boxes
Array detectors Identified by number and located by black dot
Detector location Actual detector position on pc board aligned within 0.25 mm of
light field boxes
Measurement Simultaneous detector Dedicated MOSFET operational amplifier, low leakage, low
electronics measurement input offset bias
Amplifier feedback Capacitor
Trigger detectors One below each detector.
Array acquisition time 1.7 milliseconds
Array acquisition 15 per second
frequency
Automatic offset Net charge per pulse
compensation
Capacitor Reset FET switch
Analog to digital four, bi-polar, 16 bit
converters
Gain selection Binary: 1, 2, 4, 8 (4 is default)
Calibration Correction factors Relative correction factors for each array detector stored in PC
calibration files.
Array calibration Array is factory calibrated using patented wide field calibration,
US Pat# 6,125,335.
Absolute dose calibration Absolute dose calibration of center detector using PC algorithm
Energies Electron beam energies can be calibrated with the electron
wedge accessory and the calibrations can be stored in the
software.

Specifications 9

Table 1-1. PROFILER 2 Specifications (Continued)

Construction Circuit board Single circuit board for high reliability; mounted between water-
equivalent plastic on top and acrylic or polycarbonate base,
which provides an EMI shield
Dimensions 25.6 x 52.0 x 6.0 cm (10.0 x 20.5 x 2.4 in.)
Weight 5 kg (11 lb.)
Top Durable alignment template
Leveling Planar bubble level with three adjustment feet
Buildup • 1 x 30 x 35.2 cm Virtual Water
• 2 x 30 x 35.2 cm Virtual Water
• 5 x 30 x 35 2.cm Virtual Water (optional)
Connections and POWER/DATA 8 pin DIN, provides power to PROFILER 2 and bi-directional
Accessory Ports serial data between PC and PROFILER 2
LED’s A, B, C, D: Status indicators
EXT REF LEMO connector for external reference detector.
Cables POWER/DATA 8-pin DIN, 25 m, connects PROFILER 2 to P/DI
Serial 9-pin D, M/F, 2 m, connects P/DI to computer
USB 4-pin A and B plugs, 2 m, connects P/DI to computer
Power cord IEC straight plug line cord, 3 conductor, 2 m
P/DI (Power/Data Voltage input + 18 VDC from power converter
Interface)
Voltage output + 18 VDC to PROFILER 2 via 8-pin DIN connector
Data communication Bidirectional between PROFILER 2 and PC
Indicator LEDs Power, Tx, Rx
Connectors • 9-pin serial to PC
• USB to PC
• 5-mm socket for +18 VDC input
• 8 pin DIN
Size 7.0 x 12.3 x 3.5 cm (2.8 x 4.8 x 1.4 in)
Weight 0.20 kg (0.44 lb.)
Power Converter Converter type Switching, general purpose IEC 320, Class I power inlet for
straight cable entry
Supply voltage range 100 to 240 VAC, automatically switching; 48-62 Hz
(mains)
DC power output +18 VDC, 20 watts
System Computer minimum Minimum: Pentium III, 128 MB RAM, 4 MB VGA video card
requirements requirements capable of at least 1024 x 768 (16 MB video RAM recom-
mended), minimum 16-bit color depth, free serial or USB port,
20 MB of free hard disk space available.
Operating system Windows Vista (32-bit), XP (32-bit), and 2000
Environment Operating Normal laboratory conditions maintained for human comfort
• 18 to 30° C (64 to 86° F)
• 20 to 80% relative humidity
Storage • –30 to 50° C (–22 to 122° F)
• 10 to 90% relative humidity, non-condensing
Firmware Operates from flash memory. Updates to firmware may be
downloaded from PC when available.



PC Software Distribution CD or download from web site
Display format 3-panel display, simultaneously showing
• Legend—list of currently open files
• Data—graph, header data, numerical dose values, real-time
beam tuning, or real-time data plots.
• Analysis—calculated beam analysis values for selected file
Data View Options Five data viewing options; selectable by tab:
• Graph view—Displays profile graphs.
• Header view—Displays header information for open files.
• Data view—Provides a tabular data display (numerical val-
ues).
• Beam view—Displays real-time, immediate results of beam
tuning adjustments.
• Data Plot view—Provides a visual representation of beam
analysis parameters over the duration of the measurement
for detailed analysis. Can be used with saved files or real-
time.
See also “View Panel” on page 57.
Profile Display (Graph • 2 panel—display profiles of both X and Y axes
View) • 1 panel—display either X or Y axis.
Files Opens and displays up to 10 files including files measured by
the Profiler classic and Profiler 1.
Analysis Values calculated using selectable definitions of parameter
analysis
• Flatness
• Symmetry (point and area)
• Output (units of cGy, dose and rate)
• Field size
• Beam center
• Light/radiation field coincidence
• Penumbra
• Beam stabilization time
• Dose per pulse
• Photon energy
• Electron energy
• PDD (with water buildup reservoir accessory assuming feasi-
bility)
• Wedge angle analysis (fixed or dynamic)
Calibration • Wide field calibration utility for array correction to common
center detector
• Dose calibration of center detector
Rate/dose Measures inst. rate, avg rate, or total dose in terms of corrected
counts, dose, or normalized values.
Reports Produces detailed printed or PDF reports for all files.
Data export • Export to SNC ASCII—Export of all files to clipboard (text for-
mat) or spreadsheet
• Export measurements from detectors in the equivalent loca-
tion of Daily QA3 detectors.
• Export to planning system—Exports beam dosimetry data to
a Pinnacle planning system for beam modeling
Data Import Treatment planning system files and water tank files can be
imported.
File Open PROFILER 2 files Imports, displays, and compares three types of PROFILER 2
files: single-frame file, multiple-frame file (movie), and concate-
nated file.
IC PROFILER files Imports, displays, and compares three types of IC PROFILER
files: single-frame file, multiple-frame file (movie), and concate-
nated file.
Profiler1 files Imports, displays, and compares all original Profiler file formats
except 3D

Specifications 11


File Import Water tank measured Supports the following: Pinnacle files (*.dat); Mephysto files
files (*.exp); or OmniPro files (*.asc).
Treatment planning sys- Imports, displays, and compares data from the following treat-
tem dose maps ment planning systems:
• 3Dline Ergo
• AccuKnife: AccuSoft XL
• Philips: Pinnacle3
• Brain Lab: Brain Scan
• CMS: FOCUS or XIO
• DICOM: RTDOSE, EPID (RTIMAGE), or CR (RTIMAGE)
• Elekta: Precise Plan
• EPIDose
• MAPcalc
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care
• MDS Nordion Helax TMS
• Nomos: CORVUS
• Nucletron: PLATO and OnCentra
• PerMedics: Odyssey
• Prowess: Panther
• Radionics XKnife
• RAHD: Alpha 3D Pro
• Siemens: KonRad
• TGM ARTP
• TomoTherapy Hi Art
• Varian: CadPlan and Eclipse
• SunCOM
Also allows import of Film.
TPS Import rotation and Imported treatment planning system files can be rotated and
offset offset to display off-axis profiles. Comparative measured pro-
files of plans can be made by exposing PROFILER 2 with the
same rotation and offset to planned dose.


2 Software Setup

Overview

The PROFILER 2 application software collects the instrument measurements and displays graphs
of the radiation measured by the detectors. The software is available on the CD that is furnished
with the PROFILER 2, or it can be downloaded from the Sun Nuclear web site (http://
www.sunnuclear.com).

Single Installation

1 Place the CD in the drive of the computer. A copyright notice screen appears.
2 Read the notice. If you agree, click Accept. A menu (Figure 2-1) appears.

Figure 2-1. Installation Menu

3 On the menu, click Software.
4 Follow the on-screen directions to complete the installation. The program icon will appear on
the desktop.
5 Click Exit to close the installation menu.

Multiple Installations

Only one copy of the PROFILER 2 Windows software is required per computer, regardless of the
number of PROFILER 2s being used with that computer. If you are using two or more PROFILER
2s with the computer, the software keeps the calibration and data files separate for each PRO-
FILER 2.
When connecting to a PROFILER 2, the software identifies the serial number of the connected
PROFILER 2 and creates a unique serial number directory for each PROFILER 2 instrument. During
measurement, the setup template includes the serial number, which is validated against the PRO-
FILER 2 instrument communicating data to the PC.

Overview 13

If you have two or more computers, you are permitted to install the PROFILER 2 software on each
one.

USB Connection

1 Connect the cables as shown.

Note: Do not plug the USB cable into the PC until after the software is installed.

Figure 2-2. Typical USB Port Connection

2 Plug the power converter cord into a 110 to 240 VAC, 1-phase, 50-60 Hz power source.

Note: If using the USB port and Windows Vista, XP, or 2000, Windows should detect
the USB port automatically and install the drivers. For more information, see “Setting
Up the USB Port” below.

Serial Connection

Serial Connection with P/DI
1 Connect the serial cable between the PC’s serial port and the COM port on the P/DI (Figure
2-3).
2 Connect the instrument to the P/DI with the power/data cable.
3 Plug the power converter into an outlet with 110 to 240 VAC, single phase, 50-60 Hz.
4 Connect the power converter to the P/DI.

14 Section 2. Software Setup

Figure 2-3. Typical Serial Port Connection

Serial Port Alternatives
If you want to use a serial connection and your computer does not have a serial port, several alter-
native methods may allow you to connect to the instrument. You can obtain the necessary
equipment from computer stores, catalogs, and on-line merchants.
• Serial port card—If your computer is a desktop, you may be able to install a serial port card in
an empty PCI slot.
• PCMCIA card to serial port adapter—if your computer is a laptop, you may be able to install
a PCMCIA card to serial port adapter in the card slot.
To use these adapters, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and observe the following steps:
1 Set up the adapter per manufacturer’s instruction.
2 In the setup, identify the serial port as COM 1 through COM 10 (higher numbers are not
supported).
3 Connect the serial cable between the PROFILER 2 and the serial port adapter.
4 Power up normally.

Setting Up the USB Port

USB Drivers for Windows Vista
The following procedure is for Windows Vista. If you are using a different operating system see
“USB Drivers for Windows XP and 2000” on page 18.
1 With PROFILER 2 software installed (but not launched) and the PROFILER 2 instrument con-
nected and powered up, plug the USB cable into the control room computer. If you previously
installed the drivers for this or another Sun Nuclear product, skip to Step 11 below.
2 If you are installing the drivers for the first time, the ‘Found New Hardware Wizard’ opens (Fig-
ure 2-4). The wizard displays three option buttons: Locate and install driver software
(recommended), Ask me again later, or Don’t show this message again for the device.

Setting Up the USB Port 15

Figure 2-4. ‘Found New Hardware’ Wizard

3 Click the Locate and install driver software (recommended) button.
4 If Windows requests permission to continue, click Continue.
• If your computer is connected to the Internet and the Windows Automatic Update
feature is turned ON, Windows searches for drivers on the Internet, and installs them (if
it finds them). Then skip to Step 11 below.
• If Windows does not find the drivers on the Internet, or your computer is not connected
to the Internet, or the Windows Automatic Update feature is turned off, continue with
Step 5 below.

!
CAUTION: There are TWO USB drivers to be installed. Install the first driver, then
repeat the procedure for the second driver. See Step 10 below.

5 If the ‘Insert the disc…’ dialog box opens, click the I don’t have the disc. Show me other
options. button (Figure 2-5).

Figure 2-5. Click “I don’t have the disc, Show me other options.”

6 If the ‘Window couldn’t find driver software for your device’ dialog box is displayed, click the
Browse my computer for driver software (advanced) button (Figure 2-6).

16 Section 2. Software Setup

Profiler2_reference guide

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