The Portuguese Institute of Oncology in Porto (IPO Porto) is one of the largest reference oncology institutions in Portugal, with one of the highest volumes of radiation therapy treatments in the country. In 2026, IPO Porto implemented the SunCHECK platform from Sun Nuclear (Mirion Technologies) to unify and automate all quality assurance (QA) across its linear accelerators.
The Challenge: Consistent QA Across 4 High-Volume Linacs
IPO Porto’s radiation therapy department operates 4 linear accelerators — two Varian Halcyon and two Varian TrueBeam units — treating a significant daily patient volume with advanced techniques including VMAT, SBRT, and SRS. With medical physics teams managing multiple machines, the challenge was clear:
- Fragmented workflows — different tools for machine QA, patient verification, and in vivo monitoring with no integration between them
- High administrative burden — manual documentation spread across multiple systems hindered traceability and regulatory compliance
- Cross-machine consistency — ensuring the same quality standards are applied uniformly across 4 linacs with different characteristics
- Analysis time — manual review of QA results consumed valuable time that could be dedicated to clinical tasks
The Solution: Integrated SunCHECK Platform
The choice fell on the SunCHECK platform from Sun Nuclear, deployed comprehensively with three integrated modules:
🔬 SunCHECK Machine
Linac quality control — monitors mechanical, dosimetric, and imaging parameters for each linac. Automates daily, monthly, and annual tests per TG-142, centralizing all results in a single dashboard.
👤 SunCHECK Patient
Independent treatment plan verification — performs secondary dose calculation and compares with the treatment planning system (TPS), identifying deviations before treatment is delivered. Supports all techniques including VMAT and SBRT.
📊 PerFRACTION
Real-time monitoring during treatment — analyses each fraction using EPID (electronic portal imaging device) data from the linac itself, requiring no additional hardware in the treatment room. Detects dosimetric and anatomical deviations fraction by fraction.
Implementation and Training
The SunCHECK platform implementation at IPO Porto was carried out by Interphysix, the exclusive distributor of Sun Nuclear in Portugal and Spain, in coordination with Sun Nuclear’s clinical applications team.
The process included:
- Installation and configuration — integration with all 4 linacs (Halcyon and TrueBeam), setup of QA protocols tailored to the department’s clinical practice
- Specialist training — intensive training session in March 2026, delivered by Oscar Magaz (Sun Nuclear Application Specialist), covering all modules and clinical workflows
- Ongoing support — 2-year warranty with direct technical support from Interphysix and access to platform updates
Expected Benefits
The SunCHECK platform implementation at IPO Porto delivers concrete advantages for the radiation therapy department:
- Unified workflow — all machine QA, patient verification, and in vivo monitoring data in a single system, eliminating data silos
- Full traceability — complete, auditable history of all tests and verifications, facilitating audits and compliance with national and international standards
- Operational efficiency — automated analysis and reporting significantly reduces time spent on QA administrative tasks
- Early deviation detection — PerFRACTION monitors every treatment fraction in real time, enabling identification and correction of issues before they affect clinical outcomes
- Scalability — the platform architecture easily supports adding new linacs or techniques in the future
About SunCHECK
SunCHECK is Sun Nuclear’s integrated QA platform covering the entire radiation therapy treatment lifecycle — from linac commissioning to real-time monitoring of every fraction. It is used in reference centres worldwide and is available in Portugal and Spain exclusively through Interphysix.
To learn more about how SunCHECK can benefit your radiation therapy department, contact us for a personalised demonstration.
Interphysix is the exclusive distributor of Sun Nuclear (Mirion Technologies) for Portugal and Spain. For information about the SunCHECK platform, contact us at [email protected] or through our contact form.
Última actualização: 02/04/2026