Linac Engineer Training

Training courses for engineers (self maintainers) for the Elekta Synergy
Pre course reading module, Elekta Oncology Engineer 1 (EOE1) and Elekta Oncology Engineer 2 (EOE2).

After EOE1 training it is expected that the engineer will gain appropriate field experience before attending EOE2.

This is the course strategy we recommend for new engineers.

Training Course Details

All Elekta training courses start at 9:00am each morning. Working hours may vary depending on equipment availability. Each course description details the final day’s finishing time. We stress that travel arrangements must NOT interfere with these times. Our Crawley office is 10 minutes from London Gatwick Airport and 1 hour from London Heathrow Airport. Please keep this in mind when arranging return flights.

EOE1 Training course

Duration 15 days at Elekta UK or Elekta US
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite - None

This course will cover:

• Linear accelerator: safe working practices including radiation safety & high voltages, machine geography, control systems, interlocks & supplies, principals of operation, isocenter checking, services, movement calibration, systems calibration.
• iViewGT/XVI: image arm mechanics and movement calibration.
• MLCi/MLCi2: mechanics and movement calibration
• Beam Modulator: mechanics and movement calibration.
• Precise Table: mechanics, electronics and movement calibration.

This course will enable simple unaided fault finding of low risk systems, or assisted fault finding of high risk systems via the Remote Monitoring Option. Both under pinning knowledge and practical ability will be assessed on this course. The engineer will be accredited to Elekta Oncology Engineer level 1.

EOE2 Training course

Duration 15 days at Elekta UK or Elekta US
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite – Completion of EOE1 course

This course will cover:

• Linear accelerator: measurement techniques, high tension (HT) & radio frequency (RF) systems, beam energy, beam transport system, dosimetry systems, electrons and fault finding.
• iViewGT: image set up and calibration.
• XVI: image set up and calibration
• Control systems: computer fault finding.

This course will enable the engineer to be capable of fault finding more complex systems and understand the implications of low / medium risk component replacement, including planned maintenance. Both under pinning knowledge and practical ability will be assessed on this course. The engineer will be accredited to Elekta Oncology Engineer level 2.

3rd Line Engineers courses

Comprises modules (2 or 3 days per module) at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day 3:30pm
Prerequisite – Completion of 1st and 2nd Line Engineers course or completion of EOE1 and EOE2 training courses

The 3rd Line Engineer courses consist of the following:

• Beam measurement (3 Days) *
• Beam adjustment (2 Days) *
• HT & RF (3 Days)
• Control systems (2 Days)
• Beam modulator (3 Days)

* We suggest these modules are taken as a pair

These modules will enable the engineer to be capable of fault finding high-risk systems, understanding the implications of high risk component replacement and to enable them to follow appropriate procedures to return the machine safely to a clinical condition. Business Units should review the expertise of their service engineers and select modules per engineer to provide field cover from within the Business Unit. It is not expected that every engineer would complete all modules.

Synergy kV Generator course

Duration 3 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 4:30pm
Prerequisites - completion of the EOE2 course or 2nd Line engineers or 2nd Line Physics & MLC course and iViewGT Engineering

This course will cover the installation, maintenance and repair of the Sedecal X-ray generator used in the Synergy XVI system.

The course will enable the engineer to be capable of calibration, fault finding, repair and returning the system to clinical use.

Hexapod evo and iGuide course

Duration 4 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 4:30pm
Prerequisites - completion of the EOE1 and EOE2 courses or the Precise Table course, iViewGT and Synergy IGRT QA courses

The course will cover installation, set-up, calibration, corrective maintenance, customer acceptance and iGuide camera accuracy checks.

The course will enable the engineer to be capable of calibration, fault finding, repair and returning the system to clinical use.

Preciseplan Engineering course

Duration 5 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite – attended introduction to UNIX course and preferably UNIX Administration / UNIX Exemption test (Available April 2004)

This course will enable the user to configure the UNIX system for the treatment planning system and provide a good grounding for troubleshooting.

• Preciseplan (LINUX) Engineering course
• Duration 3 days at Elekta Crawley
• Finishing time on final day – 3:30pm
• Prerequisite – Networking 1st Line or equivalent

This course will enable the user to install and configure the LINUX operating system together with the PrecisePlan software, for the treatment planning system and provide a good grounding for troubleshooting.
 

For Physicists and Engineers (non Maintainers)

1st Line training course

Duration 5 days on a customer site in Europe, USA or Asia
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite - none

This course will cover safe working practices including radiation safety & high voltages, machine geography, control systems, interlocks & supplies, principals of operation, isocenter checking and services. This course will enable simple unaided fault finding of low risk systems, or assisted fault finding of high risk systems via the Remote Monitoring Option.

2nd Line Physics with MLC course

Duration 10 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 12.30pm
Prerequisite – completion of 1st Line training course or 1st Line Exemption test pass

This course will cover high tension (HT) & radio frequency (RF), beam energy, beam transport, dosimetry systems, electrons, Elekta MLCs, machine calibration, system operation and quality assurance. This will provide an in-depth understanding of the linear accelerator operation, set-up and quality assurance. This will be very valuable for scientific staff who manage an accelerator facility or who perform regular measurements and calibration.
 

Historic Courses

Synergy X-ray Production & Imaging course

Duration 2 days at Elekta Crawley
Finish time on final day – 4:30pm
Prerequisites - none

This is aimed at Elekta engineers who have no diagnostic experience. This course will provide information about the components of a diagnostic imaging system. There will be practical sessions using the Synergy kV imaging system.

Synergy IGRT QA course (for Release 3.5 and 4.2)

Duration 8 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 3:00pm
Prerequisites - completion of a 2nd Line Engineers or 2nd Line Physics & MLC course and iView GT Engineering or iView GT Clinical Applications training course and Synergy X-ray Production & Imaging course

This course will cover the Synergy XVI imaging system, enabling the students to conduct set-up and calibration, quality assurance procedures, administer the system and troubleshoot.

Precise Table course

Duration 4 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 4:00pm
Prerequisite – none

This course will cover safety, geography, systems overview, installation, set-up, calibration and ASU set-up, planned maintenance of the table, acceptance test and troubleshooting.

iViewGT - Radiotherapy Imaging Engineer course

Duration 5 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite – none

The course will focus on the iViewGT hardware and cover system overview, image quality, hardware, software, customer acceptance tests, setting to work / calibration. This course will enable the engineer to install, operate and maintain the system when attached to a linear accelerator.

iView Camera – Radiotherapy Imaging Engineer course

Duration 5 days - on an available customer site
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite – none

The course will focus on the camera based iView hardware and cover System Overview, Image Quality, Hardware, Software, Customer Acceptance Tests, Setting to Work / Calibration. This course will enable the engineer to operate and maintain the system when attached to a linear accelerator.

Installation Phase One course

Duration 10 Days at Elekta Crawley or on a customer site
Finishing time on final day – 3:30pm
Prerequisite – after completion of our 1st Line Training course

This course concentrates on the mechanical assembly of the machine, up to the setting to work phase.

Installation Phase Two course

There is no dedicated course for Phase 2. The relevant information and experience will be gained by completion of the EOE1 and EOE2 courses and a 3rd Line Beam Measurement module.

2nd Line Mechanical Skills Training course

Duration 5 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite - completion of 1st Line or Exemption test pass

This course will cover repair and maintenance required on the MLC, collimator, flight tube and gantry systems. On completion of this course the student will be able diagnose faults, repair, service and maintain the mechanical systems of the linear accelerator.

2nd Line Engineers Training course

Duration 15 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 3:30pm
Prerequisite – completion of 1st Line Course or Exemption test pass

This course will cover the control systems, machine calibration, MLC calibration, measurement techniques, high tension pulse generation and RF, set-up of beam energy, beam transport systems, electrons and fault finding.

This course will enable the engineer to be capable of fault finding more complex systems and understand the implications of low / medium risk component replacement, including planned maintenance. Both under pinning knowledge and practical ability will be assessed on this course. The engineer will be accredited to 2nd Line Service Engineer.

Students who fail to achieve the required competency will be offered a place on a focussed 2nd Line Revision Course. This course will run for 10 days.

Physics Upgrade course

Duration 3 days at Elekta Crawley
Finishing time on final day – 3:30pm
Prerequisite – completion of SL 1st Line Training course

This course will provide the information and practical experience to enable an experienced physicist who has completed a SL Customer Physicist course to become familiar with the desktop interface.

SL75/5 – Linac Engineer course

Duration 15 days – on an available customer site
Finishing time on final day – 12:30pm
Prerequisite – none

This course delivers all technical knowledge and practice for the SL 75/5 as a Stand alone System. It enables the engineer to perform all planned preventative programs and linear accelerator set up and repair.

SLS-B1 - Simulator Engineer course

Duration 8 days - on an available customer site
Finishing time on final day – 3:30pm
Prerequisite – none

This course will concentrate on the basic operating principles and hardware of the simulator gantry. The engineer will be able to diagnose problems and affect a repair. The X-ray generator and II/TV chain are not covered on this course.

If you have a request for training on earlier products please forward to our Training Department. The training request will be dependent on whether your customer is happy to allow the training course to be run at their hospital site.