What can statistical process control show us about ionization chamber stability?

• SPC can meaningfully report instability in the constancy of ionisation chambers.
• Surpassing the period of two years between calibrations is not recommended.
• In the interim, stability can conform to specifications of ±1.5%, according to SPC.

PurposeStatistical process control (SPC) has been shown to be a suitable tool for medical physicists to monitor quality and keep variability low and within specifications. We report our findings regarding ionisation chamber stability in our department when using a radioactive stability check device (RSCD) and we compare them with similar previously published records, including calibration results.MethodsWe retrospectively studied the stability of a PPC 40 parallel-plate chamber, and two Farmer chambers (FC65-G and FC65-P) by checking them with dedicated RSCDs. We analysed the data following SPC methodology which includes plotting I-MR control charts, monitoring out-of-control observations, calculating process capability ratios (Cp), and estimating conformance to specifications. We also estimated the Cp and adherence to specifications of previously published data.ResultsThe PPC40 chamber hardly went out of the control limits over the whole six-year period assessed. However, Farmer chamber verifications drifted in opposite directions in phase II, and the deviations observed did not agree with their calibration records, which only increased by a maximum of 0.5%. In phase I the most unstable chamber was the FC65-P with a Cp equal to 0.9 at a specification level of ±1%. The PPC40 chamber was stable to within a maximum Cp of 1.3. Several sets of analysed data, including ours and those from other authors, fitted well within these limits: within ±1.9% and ±1.5% for a Cp of 1.5 and 1.33 respectively.ConclusionsSPC with constant long-term RSCD checking gave us a meaningful plot of the instability of our ionisation chambers. Although a period of two years between calibrations should not be surpassed, in the interim this check can conform to specifications of ±1.5%.