Who is responsible for acceptance testing and commissioning of a treatment planning system?

The responsibility for acceptance testing and commissioning of a treatment planning system falls primarily to the medical physicist. This task involves evaluating the performance of the treatment planning system to ensure it meets specified safety and efficacy standards. Medical physicists have the required specialized education and training to conduct these assessments accurately.

During the acceptance testing process, the medical physicist examines various functionalities of the system, verifies the accuracy of dose calculations, and ensures that the system integrates properly with other equipment used in radiation therapy. This process is critical to patient safety and treatment effectiveness. By commissioning the system, the medical physicist establishes baseline performance metrics and verifies that the treatment planning system is ready for clinical use.

In contrast, while dosimetrists are actively involved in treatment planning and may utilize the system after commissioning, their focus is not on the technical evaluation required during acceptance testing. Radiation therapists operate the equipment during treatment delivery but do not engage in the commissioning process, and radiation oncologists are primarily responsible for clinical decision-making and overall patient care rather than the technical aspects of system commissioning.