An MRI Quality Assurance Program for Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: A Systematic Approach to Ensure High Spatial Accuracy and Precision

Motivation: Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) demands high spatial accuracy in MR imaging to target radiation doses precisely. Ensuring consistent MR quality across multiple systems is critical for safe, effective treatment. Goal(s): To implement an automated, standardized QA process that verifies MR systems' spatial accuracy and protocol compliance across multiple sites for GKRS planning. Approach: Daily automated checks using ACR and GRID3D phantoms measure distortion and signal quality, alerting users to deviations in real-time. In-house tools monitor protocol parameters for GKRS consistency. Results: The QA program maintains MR readiness, with 15 systems consistently meeting GKRS standards, enabling immediate intervention when needed. Impact: Automated QA at a multi-site institution improves spatial accuracy in MR imaging for GKRS, enabling proactive system maintenance, streamlined approvals, and immediate corrective actions. This program enhances GKRS safety and supports continuous improvement in MRI acquisition quality.