The Proton Therapy Medical Physics team at Eastpark Medical Center has been busy commissioning process for the gantry room of our new proton therapy system, which is anticipated to launch for patient care later this spring. Commissioning includes comprehensive characterization of the beam’s physical properties—energy, spot size, position, output consistency—as well as validation of treatment‑planning models and full end‑to‑end testing of all integrated subsystems, including imaging, motion management, immobilization devices, and safety interlocks. These data ensure accurate modeling within the treatment planning system and establish baseline performance metrics required for clinical implementation.
As part of this work, physicists used high resolution film to verify pencil‑beam scanning performance that darkens in response for high precision spot pattern analysis and beam quality assessment. Leveraging this capability, team members generated custom spot‑delivery files to produce high‑density proton spot patterns in the shape of the UW–Madison “W” and the Bucky Badger mascot. Although playful, these images demonstrate sub‑millimeter spot placement accuracy and uniformity, illustrating the level of control achievable with the scanning system.
Commissioning efforts include rigorous technical contributions from medical physicists, residents, and medical physics assistants to ensure that machine performance parameters and clinical workflows meet specifications before patient treatments begin.
“This exceptional work reflects the deep expertise and collaborative spirit of the Proton Therapy Medical Physics team led by our Proton Physics Director, Dr. Minglei Kang. We are fortunate to have their meticulous, and fun, approach to commissioning as we ready our clinical program. On, Wisconsin!”
— Dr. Carri Glide-Hurst, Associate Chair for Radiation Oncology Physics