Quality assurance package for routine thermoluminescence dosimetry program

The Quality Assurance Package presented here specifies a set of reader-related hardware diagnostics and calibration procedures and automatically maintains audit trails of generated and derived thermoluminescence data. It specifies acceptable performance criteria for the reader and dosimeter assemblies; tracks and controls Readout Cycle Temperature Profiles; and ensures that the acquired data is verified. The quality of the generated glow curves is tracked by the real-time application of Computerized Glow Curve Deconvolution to reference dosimeters that may be mixed with field dosimeters during readout sessions. This package is supported by a menu-driven software system using vertical auto-selection menus, lotus-style horizontal menus, data entry menus with automatic error checking, and pop-up windows. The menu system is supported by an extensive HELP file; data EDITING is password-protected, and a journal is maintained for each editing session as part of the audit trail. Files for the Raw Data and Derived Dose results are maintained and managed in seven databases. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of each of the procedures, specifies data validation criteria, and presents samples of the reports generated