Background:

Astarita Associates has been providing a wide range of radiation oncology medical physics services to many facilities in the New York metropolitan area for over 30 years and have recently decided to offer some of our services nationwide as Locum Tenens.  We have experience with all major vendors of linear accelerators, Record and Verify systems, HDR units, CT simulators, and Treatment Planning Systems.  We are New York State Licensed and ABR/ABMP certified.  Our clinical experience is extensive, ranging from starting up radiation oncology departments to helping departments upgrade to meet the ever changing needs of a state of the art radiation oncology department. We also have experience in establishing and maintaining specialty programs as listed below.  In addition to meeting the needs of our customers by providing high quality medical physics services at a reasonable price, we take pride in our focus on communication and ability to work with all members of your radiation oncology team.  

Linear Accelerator based systems:

• Shielding design
• Radiation Protection Surveys
• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Independent calibration checks following AAPM TG 51 and TG 25 guidelines
• Annual and Monthly Quality Assurance testing following AAPM TG 40 and TG 142 guidelines
• Implementation of IMRT, IGRT, and SRS systems

Gamma Knife:

• Shielding design
• Radiation Protection Surveys
• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Independent calibration check
• Clinical coverage

Cyberknife:

• Shielding design
• Radiation Protection Surveys
• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Independent calibration check

TomoTherapy:

• Shielding design
• Radiation Protection Surveys

HDR:

• Shielding design
• Radiation Protection Surveys
• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Implementation of new applicators (i.e. Mammosite, Contoura, skin applicators, T&O) from acceptance through establishing on-going QA
• Nucletron and Varian trained

Seed Implants:

• Implementing a seed implant program
• Acceptance and commissioning of a treatment planning system
• Calibration of seed assay instrumentation

Treatment Planning Systems:

• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Establishing an on-going QA program

Department wide services:

• Long term or short term medical physics coverage, including chart checks, machine QA, and miscellaneous clinical support
• Implementation of new departmental systems, i.e. e-chart transition, R&V systems      
• Analysis of departmental systems and procedures to ensure accurate, reproducible therapy
• CT based treatment planning guidance and expertise
• Independent physics audits
• Preparation for ACR and ACRO accreditations, including preliminary mock inspections

Locum Tenens services offered: 

Linear Accelerator based systems:

• Shielding design
• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Independent calibration checks following AAPM TG 51 and TG 25 guidelines
• Annual and Monthly Quality Assurance testing following AAPM TG 40 and TG 142 guidelines
• Implementation of IMRT, IGRT, and SRS systems

Gamma Knife:

• Shielding design
• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Independent calibration check

Cyberknife:

• Shielding design
• Data collection/commissioning
• Independent calibration check

TomoTherapy:

• Shielding design

HDR:

• Shielding design
• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Implementation of new applicators (i.e. Mammosite, Contoura, skin applicators, T&O) from acceptance through establishing on-going QA
• Nucletron and Varian trained

Treatment Planning Systems:

• Acceptance testing and commissioning
• Establishing an on-going QA program

Department wide services:

• Implementation of new departmental systems, i.e. e-chart transition, R&V systems      
• Analysis of departmental systems and procedures to ensure accurate, reproducible therapy
• CT based treatment planning guidance and expertise
• Independent physics audits
• Preparation for ACR and ACRO accreditations, including preliminary mock inspections