180 NAC 7-074. FULL CALIBRATION MEASUREMENTS ON REMOTE AFTERLOADER UNITS

074. FULL CALIBRATION MEASUREMENTS ON REMOTE AFTERLOADER UNITS. 074.01 FREQUENCY. A licensee authorized to use a remote afterloader unit for medical use must perform full calibration measurements on each unit: (A) Before the first medical use of the unit;(B) Before medical use under the following conditions: (i) Following replacement of the source or following reinstallation of the unit in a new location outside the facility; and(ii) Following any repair of the unit that includes removal of the source or major repair of the components associated with the source exposure assembly; (C) At intervals not exceeding one calendar quarter for HDR, MDR, and PDR remote afterloader units with sources whose half-life exceeds 75 days; and(D) At intervals not exceeding one year for LDR remote afterloader units. 074.02 DETERMINANTS. To satisfy the requirement of 7-074.01, full calibration measurements must include, as applicable, determination of: (A) The output within ± 5%;(B) Source positioning accuracy to within ±1 millimeter;(C) Source retraction with backup battery upon power failure;(D) Length of the source transfer tubes;(E) Timer accuracy and linearity over the typical range of use;(F) Length of the applicators; and(G) Function of the source transfer tubes, applicators, and transfer tube-applicator interfaces. 074.03 VERIFICATION OF INVENTORY AND SOURCE ARRANGEMENT. In addition to the requirements for full calibration for LDR remote afterloader units in 180 NAC 7-074.02, a licensee must perform an autoradiograph of the source or sources to verify inventory and source or sources arrangement at intervals not exceeding one calendar quarter. 074.04 USE OF DOSIMETRY SYSTEM. A licensee must use the dosimetry system described in 180 NAC 7-072.01 to measure the output. 074.05 PROTOCOLS. A licensee must make full calibration measurements required by 180 NAC 7-074.01 according to published protocols accepted by nationally recognized bodies. 074.06 SOURCE MANUFACTURER MEASUREMENTS. For LDR remote afterloader units, a licensee may use measurements provided by the source manufacturer that are made according to180 NAC 7-074.01 through 7-074.05. 074.07 ONE PERCENT PHYSICAL DECAY. A licensee must mathematically correct the outputs determined in 180 NAC 7-074.02(A) for physical decay at intervals consistent with one percent physical decay. 074.08 FULL CALIBRATION MEASUREMENTS AND PHYSICAL DECAY CORRECTIONS. Full calibration measurements required by 180 NAC 7-074.01 and physical decay corrections required by 180 NAC 7-074.07 must be performed by the authorized medical physicist. 074.09 RECORDS. A licensee must retain a record of each calibration according to 180 NAC 7-108.