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Kelleter L, Marek L, Echner G, Ochoa-Parra P, Winter M, Harrabi S, Jakubek J, Jäkel O, Debus J, Martisikova M. An in-vivo treatment monitoring system for ion-beam radiotherapy based on 28 Timepix3 detectors. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15452. [PMID: 38965349 PMCID: PMC11224389 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66266-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Ion-beam radiotherapy is an advanced cancer treatment modality offering steep dose gradients and a high biological effectiveness. These gradients make the therapy vulnerable to patient-setup and anatomical changes between treatment fractions, which may go unnoticed. Charged fragments from nuclear interactions of the ion beam with the patient tissue may carry information about the treatment quality. Currently, the fragments escape the patient undetected. Inter-fractional in-vivo treatment monitoring based on these charged nuclear fragments could make ion-beam therapy safer and more efficient. We developed an ion-beam monitoring system based on 28 hybrid silicon pixel detectors (Timepix3) to measure the distribution of fragment origins in three dimensions. The system design choices as well as the ion-beam monitoring performance measurements are presented in this manuscript. A spatial resolution of 4 mm along the beam axis was achieved for the measurement of individual fragment origins. Beam-range shifts of1.5 mm were identified in a clinically realistic treatment scenario with an anthropomorphic head phantom. The monitoring system is currently being used in a prospective clinical trial at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Centre for head-and-neck as well as central nervous system cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Kelleter
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO) and National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, A Partnership Between DKFZ and University Medical Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Gernot Echner
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO) and National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pamela Ochoa-Parra
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO) and National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcus Winter
- Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Centre (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Semi Harrabi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Oliver Jäkel
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO) and National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, A Partnership Between DKFZ and University Medical Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Centre (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Debus
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, A Partnership Between DKFZ and University Medical Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Centre (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Martisikova
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO) and National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, A Partnership Between DKFZ and University Medical Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Schilling A, Aehle M, Alme J, Barnaföldi GG, Bodova T, Borshchov V, van den Brink A, Eikeland V, Feofilov G, Garth C, Gauger NR, Grøttvik O, Helstrup H, Igolkin S, Keidel R, Kobdaj C, Kortus T, Leonhardt V, Mehendale S, Ningappa Mulawade R, Harald Odland O, O'Neill G, Papp G, Peitzmann T, Pettersen HES, Piersimoni P, Protsenko M, Rauch M, Ur Rehman A, Richter M, Röhrich D, Santana J, Seco J, Songmoolnak A, Sudár Á, Tambave G, Tymchuk I, Ullaland K, Varga-Kofarago M, Volz L, Wagner B, Wendzel S, Wiebel A, Xiao R, Yang S, Zillien S. Uncertainty-aware spot rejection rate as quality metric for proton therapy using a digital tracking calorimeter. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68:194001. [PMID: 37652034 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/acf5c2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Objective.Proton therapy is highly sensitive to range uncertainties due to the nature of the dose deposition of charged particles. To ensure treatment quality, range verification methods can be used to verify that the individual spots in a pencil beam scanning treatment fraction match the treatment plan. This study introduces a novel metric for proton therapy quality control based on uncertainties in range verification of individual spots.Approach.We employ uncertainty-aware deep neural networks to predict the Bragg peak depth in an anthropomorphic phantom based on secondary charged particle detection in a silicon pixel telescope designed for proton computed tomography. The subsequently predicted Bragg peak positions, along with their uncertainties, are compared to the treatment plan, rejecting spots which are predicted to be outside the 95% confidence interval. The such-produced spot rejection rate presents a metric for the quality of the treatment fraction.Main results.The introduced spot rejection rate metric is shown to be well-defined for range predictors with well-calibrated uncertainties. Using this method, treatment errors in the form of lateral shifts can be detected down to 1 mm after around 1400 treated spots with spot intensities of 1 × 107protons. The range verification model used in this metric predicts the Bragg peak depth to a mean absolute error of 1.107 ± 0.015 mm.Significance.Uncertainty-aware machine learning has potential applications in proton therapy quality control. This work presents the foundation for future developments in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Schilling
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
- Chair for Scientific Computing, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Max Aehle
- Chair for Scientific Computing, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Johan Alme
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Tea Bodova
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Viljar Eikeland
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Christoph Garth
- Scientific Visualization Lab, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Nicolas R Gauger
- Chair for Scientific Computing, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Ola Grøttvik
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Håvard Helstrup
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Ralf Keidel
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
- Chair for Scientific Computing, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Chinorat Kobdaj
- Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Tobias Kortus
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
| | - Viktor Leonhardt
- Scientific Visualization Lab, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Shruti Mehendale
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Raju Ningappa Mulawade
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
| | - Odd Harald Odland
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
- Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, NO-5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - George O'Neill
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Gábor Papp
- Institute for Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, 1/A Pázmány P. Sétány, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Thomas Peitzmann
- Institute for Subatomic Physics, Utrecht University/Nikhef, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Pierluigi Piersimoni
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
- UniCamillus-Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Maksym Protsenko
- Research and Production Enterprise 'LTU' (RPELTU), Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - Max Rauch
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Attiq Ur Rehman
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Matthias Richter
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Dieter Röhrich
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Joshua Santana
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
| | - Joao Seco
- Department of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, DKFZ-German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arnon Songmoolnak
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
- Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Ákos Sudár
- Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Budapest, Hungary
- Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ganesh Tambave
- Center for Medical and Radiation Physics (CMRP), National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Ihor Tymchuk
- Research and Production Enterprise 'LTU' (RPELTU), Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - Kjetil Ullaland
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Lennart Volz
- Biophysics, GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Boris Wagner
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Steffen Wendzel
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
| | - Alexander Wiebel
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
| | - RenZheng Xiao
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
- College of Mechanical & Power Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiming Yang
- Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sebastian Zillien
- Center for Technology and Transfer (ZTT), University of Applied Sciences Worms, D-67549 Worms, Germany
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Polf JC, Barajas CA, Peterson SW, Mackin DS, Beddar S, Ren L, Gobbert MK. Applications of Machine Learning to Improve the Clinical Viability of Compton Camera Based in vivo Range Verification in Proton Radiotherapy. FRONTIERS IN PHYSICS 2022; 10:838273. [PMID: 36119562 PMCID: PMC9481064 DOI: 10.3389/fphy.2022.838273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We studied the application of a deep, fully connected Neural Network (NN) to process prompt gamma (PG) data measured by a Compton camera (CC) during the delivery of clinical proton radiotherapy beams. The network identifies 1) recorded "bad" PG events arising from background noise during the measurement, and 2) the correct ordering of PG interactions in the CC to help improve the fidelity of "good" data used for image reconstruction. PG emission from a tissue-equivalent target during irradiation with a 150 MeV proton beam delivered at clinical dose rates was measured with a prototype CC. Images were reconstructed from both the raw measured data and the measured data that was further processed with a neural network (NN) trained to identify "good" and "bad" PG events and predict the ordering of individual interactions within the good PG events. We determine if NN processing of the CC data could improve the reconstructed PG images to a level in which they could provide clinically useful information about the in vivo range and range shifts of the proton beams delivered at full clinical dose rates. Results showed that a deep, fully connected NN improved the achievable contrast to noise ratio (CNR) in our images by more than a factor of 8x. This allowed the path, range, and lateral width of the clinical proton beam within a tissue equivalent target to easily be identified from the PG images, even at the highest dose rates of a 150 MeV proton beam used for clinical treatments. On average, shifts in the beam range as small as 3 mm could be identified. However, when limited by the amount of PG data measured with our prototype CC during the delivery of a single proton pencil beam (~1 × 109 protons), the uncertainty in the reconstructed PG images limited the identification of range shift to ~5 mm. Substantial improvements in CC images were obtained during clinical beam delivery through NN pre-processing of the measured PG data. We believe this shows the potential of NNs to help improve and push CC-based PG imaging toward eventual clinical application for proton RT treatment delivery verification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerimy C. Polf
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Carlos A. Barajas
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Dennis S. Mackin
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sam Beddar
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lei Ren
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Matthias K. Gobbert
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Hymers D, Kasanda E, Bildstein V, Easter J, Richard A, Spyrou A, Höhr C, Mücher D. Intra- and inter-fraction relative range verification in heavy-ion therapy using filtered interaction vertex imaging. Phys Med Biol 2021; 66. [PMID: 34794127 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ac3b33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Heavy-ion therapy, particularly using scanned (active) beam delivery, provides a precise and highly conformal dose distribution, with maximum dose deposition for each pencil beam at its endpoint (Bragg peak), and low entrance and exit dose. To take full advantage of this precision, robust range verification methods are required; these methods ensure that the Bragg peak is positioned correctly in the patient and the dose is delivered as prescribed. Relative range verification allows intra-fraction monitoring of Bragg peak spacing to ensure full coverage with each fraction, as well as inter-fraction monitoring to ensure all fractions are delivered consistently. To validate the proposed filtered interaction vertex imaging (IVI) method for relative range verification, a16O beam was used to deliver 12 Bragg peak positions in a 40 mm poly-(methyl methacrylate) phantom. Secondary particles produced in the phantom were monitored using position-sensitive silicon detectors. Events recorded on these detectors, along with a measurement of the treatment beam axis, were used to reconstruct the sites of origin of these secondary particles in the phantom. The distal edge of the depth distribution of these reconstructed points was determined with logistic fits, and the translation in depth required to minimize theχ2statistic between these fits was used to compute the range shift between any two Bragg peak positions. In all cases, the range shift was determined with sub-millimeter precision, to a standard deviation of the mean of 220(10)μm. This result validates filtered IVI as a reliable relative range verification method, which should be capable of monitoring each energy step in each fraction of a scanned heavy-ion treatment plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Hymers
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Eva Kasanda
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Joelle Easter
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Richard
- National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America.,Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | - Artemis Spyrou
- National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | | | - Dennis Mücher
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,TRIUMF, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Ghesquière-Diérickx L, Schlechter A, Félix-Bautista R, Gehrke T, Echner G, Kelleter L, Martišíková M. Investigation of Suitable Detection Angles for Carbon-Ion Radiotherapy Monitoring in Depth by Means of Secondary-Ion Tracking. Front Oncol 2021; 11:780221. [PMID: 34912718 PMCID: PMC8666547 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.780221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The dose conformity of carbon-ion beam radiotherapy, which allows the reduction of the dose deposition in healthy tissue and the escalation of the dose to the tumor, is associated with a high sensitivity to anatomical changes during and between treatment irradiations. Thus, the monitoring of inter-fractional anatomical changes is crucial to ensure the dose conformity, to potentially reduce the size of the safety margins around the tumor and ultimately to reduce the irradiation of healthy tissue. To do so, monitoring methods of carbon-ion radiotherapy in depth using secondary-ion tracking are being investigated. In this work, the detection and localization of a small air cavity of 2 mm thickness were investigated at different detection angles of the mini-tracker relative to the beam axis. The experiments were conducted with a PMMA head phantom at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) in Germany. In a clinic-like irradiation of a single field of 3 Gy (RBE), secondary-ion emission profiles were measured by a 2 cm2 mini-tracker composed of two silicon pixel detectors. Two positions of the cavity in the head phantom were studied: in front and in the middle of the tumor volume. The significance of the cavity detection was found to be increased at smaller detection angles, while the accuracy of the cavity localization was improved at larger detection angles. Detection angles of 20° - 30° were found to be a good compromise for accessing both, the detectability and the position of the air cavity along the depth in the head of a patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ghesquière-Diérickx
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annika Schlechter
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Renato Félix-Bautista
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Gehrke
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gernot Echner
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laurent Kelleter
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mária Martišíková
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
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Bey A, Ma J, Furutani KM, Herman MG, Johnson JE, Foote RL, Beltran CJ. Nuclear Fragmentation Imaging for Carbon-Ion Radiation Therapy Monitoring: an In Silico Study. Int J Part Ther 2021; 8:25-36. [PMID: 35530183 PMCID: PMC9009459 DOI: 10.14338/ijpt-20-00040.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This article presents an in vivo imaging technique based on nuclear fragmentation of carbon ions in irradiated tissues for potential real-time monitoring of carbon-ion radiation therapy (CIRT) treatment delivery and quality assurance purposes in clinical settings. Materials and Methods A proof-of-concept imaging and monitoring system (IMS) was devised to implement the technique. Monte Carlo simulations were performed for a prospective pencil-beam scanning CIRT nozzle. The development IMS benchmark considered a 5×5-cm2 pixelated charged-particle detector stack positioned downstream from a target phantom and list-mode data acquisition. The abundance and production origins, that is, vertices, of the detected fragments were studied. Fragment trajectories were approximated by straight lines and a beam back-projection algorithm was built to reconstruct the vertices. The spatial distribution of the vertices was then used to determine plan relevant markers. Results The IMS technique was applied for a simulated CIRT case, a primary brain tumor. Four treatment plan monitoring markers were conclusively recovered: a depth dose distribution correlated profile, ion beam range, treatment target boundaries, and the beam spot position. Promising millimeter-scale (3-mm, ≤10% uncertainty) beam range and submillimeter (≤0.6-mm precision for shifts <3 cm) beam spot position verification accuracies were obtained for typical therapeutic energies between 150 and 290 MeV/u. Conclusions This work demonstrated a viable online monitoring technique for CIRT treatment delivery. The method's strong advantage is that it requires few signal inputs (position and timing), which can be simultaneously acquired with readily available technology. Future investigations will probe the technique's applicability to motion-sensitive organ sites and patient tissue heterogeneities. In-beam measurements with candidate detector-acquisition systems are ultimately essential to validate the IMS benchmark performance and subsequent deployment in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Bey
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, USA
| | - Jiasen Ma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, USA
| | - Keith M. Furutani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Robert L. Foote
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, USA
| | - Chris J. Beltran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Ozoemelam I, van der Graaf E, van Goethem MJ, Kapusta M, Zhang N, Brandenburg S, Dendooven P. Feasibility of quasi-prompt PET-based range verification in proton therapy. Phys Med Biol 2020; 65:245013. [PMID: 32650323 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aba504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Compared to photon therapy, proton therapy allows a better conformation of the dose to the tumor volume with reduced radiation dose to co-irradiated tissues. In vivo verification techniques including positron emission tomography (PET) have been proposed as quality assurance tools to mitigate proton range uncertainties. Detection of differences between planned and actual dose delivery on a short timescale provides a fast trigger for corrective actions. Conventional PET-based imaging of 15O (T1/2 = 2 min) and 11C (T1/2 = 20 min) distributions precludes such immediate feedback. We here present a demonstration of near real-time range verification by means of PET imaging of 12N (T1/2 = 11 ms). PMMA and graphite targets were irradiated with a 150 MeV proton pencil beam consisting of a series of pulses of 10 ms beam-on and 90 ms beam-off. Two modules of a modified Siemens Biograph mCT PET scanner (21 × 21 cm2 each), installed 25 cm apart, were used to image the beam-induced PET activity during the beam-off periods. The modifications enable the detectors to be switched off during the beam-on periods. 12N images were reconstructed using planar tomography. Using a 1D projection of the 2D reconstructed 12N image, the activity range was obtained from a fit of the activity profile with a sigmoid function. Range shifts due to modified target configurations were assessed for multiples of the clinically relevant 108 protons per pulse (approximately equal to the highest intensity spots in the pencil beam scanning delivery of a dose of 1 Gy over a cubic 1 l volume). The standard deviation of the activity range, determined from 30 datasets obtained from three irradiations on PMMA and graphite targets, was found to be 2.5 and 2.6 mm (1σ) with 108 protons per pulse and 0.9 and 0.8 mm (1σ) with 109 protons per pulse. Analytical extrapolation of the results from this study shows that using a scanner with a solid angle coverage of 57%, with optimized detector switching and spot delivery times much smaller than the 12N half-life, an activity range measurement precision of 2.0 mm (1σ) and 1.3 mm (1σ) within 50 ms into an irradiation with 4 × 107 and 108 protons per pencil beam spot can be potentially realized. Aggregated imaging of neighboring spots or, if possible, increasing the number of protons for a few probe beam spots will enable the realization of higher precision range measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikechi Ozoemelam
- KVI-Center for Advanced Radiation Technology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
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8
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Horst F, Adi W, Aricò G, Brinkmann KT, Durante M, Reidel CA, Rovituso M, Weber U, Zaunick HG, Zink K, Schuy C. Measurement of PET isotope production cross sections for protons and carbon ions on carbon and oxygen targets for applications in particle therapy range verification. Phys Med Biol 2019; 64:205012. [PMID: 31530751 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab4511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Measured cross sections for the production of the PET isotopes [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] from carbon and oxygen targets induced by protons (40-220 [Formula: see text]) and carbon ions (65-430 [Formula: see text]) are presented. These data were obtained via activation measurements of irradiated graphite and beryllium oxide targets using a set of three scintillators coupled by a coincidence logic. The measured cross sections are relevant for the PET particle range verification method where accurate predictions of the [Formula: see text] emitter distribution produced by therapeutic beams in the patient tissue are required. The presented dataset is useful for validation and optimization of the nuclear reaction models within Monte Carlo transport codes. For protons the agreement of a radiation transport calculation using the measured cross sections with a thick target PET measurement is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Horst
- Institute of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection (IMPS), THM University of Applied Sciences Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany. GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
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9
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Rucinski A, Traini G, Roldan AB, Battistoni G, De Simoni M, Dong Y, Fischetti M, Frallicciardi PM, Gioscio E, Mancini-Terracciano C, Marafini M, Mattei I, Mirabelli R, Muraro S, Sarti A, Schiavi A, Sciubba A, Solfaroli Camillocci E, Valle SM, Patera V. Secondary radiation measurements for particle therapy applications: Charged secondaries produced by 16O ion beams in a PMMA target at large angles. Phys Med 2019; 64:45-53. [PMID: 31515035 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Particle therapy is a therapy technique that exploits protons or light ions to irradiate tumor targets with high accuracy. Protons and 12C ions are already used for irradiation in clinical routine, while new ions like 4He and 16O are currently being considered. Despite the indisputable physical and biological advantages of such ion beams, the planning of charged particle therapy treatments is challenged by range uncertainties, i.e. the uncertainty on the position of the maximal dose release (Bragg Peak - BP), during the treatment. To ensure correct 'in-treatment' dose deposition, range monitoring techniques, currently missing in light ion treatment techniques, are eagerly needed. The results presented in this manuscript indicate that charged secondary particles, mainly protons, produced by an 16O beam during target irradiation can be considered as candidates for 16O beam range monitoring. Hereafter, we report on the first yield measurements of protons, deuterons and tritons produced in the interaction of an 16O beam impinging on a PMMA target, as a function of detected energy and particle production position. Charged particles were detected at 90° and 60° with respect to incoming beam direction, and homogeneous and heterogeneous PMMA targets were used to probe the sensitivity of the technique to target inhomogeneities. The reported secondary particle yields provide essential information needed to assess the accuracy and resolution achievable in clinical conditions by range monitoring techniques based on secondary charged radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Rucinski
- INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy; Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Krakow, Poland
| | - G Traini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy.
| | | | | | - M De Simoni
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy
| | - Y Dong
- INFN - Sezione di Milano, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - M Fischetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy
| | - P M Frallicciardi
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria 'Ospedali Riuniti di Foggia', Foggia, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy
| | - E Gioscio
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy
| | - C Mancini-Terracciano
- INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - M Marafini
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy
| | | | - R Mirabelli
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy
| | | | - A Sarti
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN, Frascati, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy
| | - A Schiavi
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy
| | - A Sciubba
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy
| | - E Solfaroli Camillocci
- INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; Scuola di Specializzazione in Fisica Medica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - S M Valle
- INFN - Sezione di Milano, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - V Patera
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; INFN - Sezione di Roma 1, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", Roma, Italy
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10
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Félix-Bautista R, Gehrke T, Ghesquière-Diérickx L, Reimold M, Amato C, Turecek D, Jakubek J, Ellerbrock M, Martišíková M. Experimental verification of a non-invasive method to monitor the lateral pencil beam position in an anthropomorphic phantom for carbon-ion radiotherapy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 64:175019. [DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab2ca3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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11
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Hymers D, Mücher D. Monte Carlo investigation of sub-millimeter range verification in carbon ion radiation therapy using interaction vertex imaging. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2019. [DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/aafd44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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12
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Zarifi M, Guatelli S, Qi Y, Bolst D, Prokopovich D, Rosenfeld A. Characterization of prompt gamma ray emission for in vivo range verification in particle therapy: A simulation study. Phys Med 2019; 62:20-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2019.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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13
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Ytre-Hauge KS, Skjerdal K, Mattingly J, Meric I. A Monte Carlo feasibility study for neutron based real-time range verification in proton therapy. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2011. [PMID: 30765808 PMCID: PMC6376014 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38611-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncertainties in the proton range in tissue during proton therapy limit the precision in treatment delivery. These uncertainties result in expanded treatment margins, thereby increasing radiation dose to healthy tissue. Real-time range verification techniques aim to reduce these uncertainties in order to take full advantage of the finite range of the primary protons. In this paper, we propose a novel concept for real-time range verification based on detection of secondary neutrons produced in nuclear interactions during proton therapy. The proposed detector concept is simple; consisting of a hydrogen-rich converter material followed by two charged particle tracking detectors, mimicking a proton recoil telescopic arrangement. Neutrons incident on the converter material are converted into protons through elastic and inelastic (n,p) interactions. The protons are subsequently detected in the tracking detectors. The information on the direction and position of these protons is then utilized in a new reconstruction algorithm to estimate the depth distribution of neutron production by the proton beam, which in turn is correlated with the primary proton range. In this paper, we present the results of a Monte Carlo feasibility study and show that the proposed concept could be used for real-time range verification with millimetric precision in proton therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyrre Skjerdal
- Department of Computing, Mathematics and Physics, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 7030, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - John Mattingly
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7909, USA
| | - Ilker Meric
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7909, USA.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 7030, 5020, Bergen, Norway
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14
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Chen M, Zhong Y, Shao Y, Jiang S, Lu W. Mid-range probing-towards range-guided particle therapy. Phys Med Biol 2018; 63:13NT01. [PMID: 29864023 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aaca1b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Particle therapy can achieve excellent dose localization but is sensitive to range uncertainty. Therefore, online in vivo range verification before treatment is critical for treatment safety and quality assurance. We introduce a novel range-probing technique that uses mid-range treatment spots selected from the treatment plan as probing beams to be delivered before other treatment spots in pencil beam scanning. The probing spot signal can be acquired by an in-beam positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, and the reconstructed spot positions are compared with pre-calculated positions to measure the range shift. Mid-range probing ensures that the Bragg peaks stay inside the tumor even with significant range variation from the plan. Single-layered spots enable easier spot detection than multi-layered spots without cross-layered spot smearing. With therapeutic dose, the probing beam offers higher positron activities and range detectability than the low-dose imaging beam by up to two orders of magnitude, without exposing patients to extra radiation. Higher positron activities allow sufficient signal statistics in shorter acquisition time, therefore reducing metabolic washout of positron emitters. Thus, range shifts from the plan can be measured easily. We also describe two online range-compensated plan modification methods. We apply correction, if the range shift is above a certain tolerance. We studied feasibility using simulated particle treatment plans with online anatomical changes. For illustration, we demonstrate range shift measurement using simulated probing dose. The proposed range probing and correction effectively handled range shifts in the simulated cases. Both range-compensated adaptation and optimization accounted for online changes so that the delivered dose matched the planned dose. With a dedicated online in-beam PET scanner and phantom and clinical studies, which are currently being developed, this novel strategy may open up a range-guided particle therapy1 paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingli Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, United States of America
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15
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Rucinski A, Battistoni G, Collamati F, De Lucia E, Faccini R, Frallicciardi PM, Mancini-Terracciano C, Marafini M, Mattei I, Muraro S, Paramatti R, Piersanti L, Pinci D, Russomando A, Sarti A, Sciubba A, Solfaroli Camillocci E, Toppi M, Traini G, Voena C, Patera V. Secondary radiation measurements for particle therapy applications: charged particles produced by 4He and 12C ion beams in a PMMA target at large angle. Phys Med Biol 2018; 63:055018. [PMID: 29265011 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aaa36a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Proton and carbon ion beams are used in the clinical practice for external radiotherapy treatments achieving, for selected indications, promising and superior clinical results with respect to x-ray based radiotherapy. Other ions, like [Formula: see text] have recently been considered as projectiles in particle therapy centres and might represent a good compromise between the linear energy transfer and the radiobiological effectiveness of [Formula: see text] ion and proton beams, allowing improved tumour control probability and minimising normal tissue complication probability. All the currently used p, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] ion beams allow achieving sharp dose gradients on the boundary of the target volume, however the accurate dose delivery is sensitive to the patient positioning and to anatomical variations with respect to photon therapy. This requires beam range and/or dose release measurement during patient irradiation and therefore the development of dedicated monitoring techniques. All the proposed methods make use of the secondary radiation created by the beam interaction with the patient and, in particular, in the case of [Formula: see text] ion beams are also able to exploit the significant charged radiation component. Measurements performed to characterise the charged secondary radiation created by [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] particle therapy beams are reported. Charged secondary yields, energy spectra and emission profiles produced in a poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) target by [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] beams of different therapeutic energies were measured at 60° and 90° with respect to the primary beam direction. The secondary yield of protons produced along the primary beam path in a PMMA target was obtained. The energy spectra of charged secondaries were obtained from time-of-flight information, whereas the emission profiles were reconstructed exploiting tracking detector information. The obtained measurements are in agreement with results reported in the literature and suggests the feasibility of range monitoring based on charged secondary particle detection: the implications for particle therapy monitoring applications are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Rucinski
- INFN-Sezione di Roma, Italy. Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l'Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy. Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Krakow, Poland
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16
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Finck C, Karakaya Y, Reithinger V, Rescigno R, Baudot J, Constanzo J, Juliani D, Krimmer J, Rinaldi I, Rousseau M, Testa E, Vanstalle M, Ray C. Study for online range monitoring with the interaction vertex imaging method. Phys Med Biol 2017; 62:9220-9239. [DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aa954e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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17
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Vanstalle M, Mattei I, Sarti A, Bellini F, Bini F, Collamati F, Lucia ED, Durante M, Faccini R, Ferroni F, Finck C, Fiore S, Marafini M, Patera V, Piersanti L, Rovituso M, Schuy C, Sciubba A, Traini G, Voena C, Tessa CL. Benchmarking Geant4 hadronic models for prompt‐
γ
monitoring in carbon ion therapy. Med Phys 2017; 44:4276-4286. [DOI: 10.1002/mp.12348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alessio Sarti
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN Frascati Italy
| | | | - Fabiano Bini
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale Sapienza Universita di Roma Roma Italy
| | | | - Erika De Lucia
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN Frascati Italy
| | - Marco Durante
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Luca Piersanti
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN Frascati Italy
| | - Marta Rovituso
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt Germany
| | - Christoph Schuy
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt Germany
| | | | | | | | - Chiara La Tessa
- NASA Space Radiation Laboratory Brookhaven National Laboratory Uptown NY USA
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18
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Reinhart AM, Spindeldreier CK, Jakubek J, Martišíková M. Three dimensional reconstruction of therapeutic carbon ion beams in phantoms using single secondary ion tracks. Phys Med Biol 2017; 62:4884-4896. [PMID: 28368853 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aa6aeb] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Carbon ion beam radiotherapy enables a very localised dose deposition. However, even small changes in the patient geometry or positioning errors can significantly distort the dose distribution. A live, non-invasive monitoring system of the beam delivery within the patient is therefore highly desirable, and could improve patient treatment. We present a novel three-dimensional method for imaging the beam in the irradiated object, exploiting the measured tracks of single secondary ions emerging under irradiation. The secondary particle tracks are detected with a TimePix stack-a set of parallel pixelated semiconductor detectors. We developed a three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm based on maximum likelihood expectation maximization. We demonstrate the applicability of the new method in the irradiation of a cylindrical PMMA phantom of human head size with a carbon ion pencil beam of [Formula: see text] MeV u-1. The beam image in the phantom is reconstructed from a set of nine discrete detector positions between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] from the beam axis. Furthermore, we demonstrate the potential to visualize inhomogeneities by irradiating a PMMA phantom with an air gap as well as bone and adipose tissue surrogate inserts. We successfully reconstructed a three-dimensional image of the treatment beam in the phantom from single secondary ion tracks. The beam image corresponds well to the beam direction and energy. In addition, cylindrical inhomogeneities with a diameter of [Formula: see text] cm and density differences down to [Formula: see text] g cm-3 to the surrounding material are clearly visualized. This novel three-dimensional method to image a therapeutic carbon ion beam in the irradiated object does not interfere with the treatment and requires knowledge only of single secondary ion tracks. Even with detectors with only a small angular coverage, the three-dimensional reconstruction of the fragmentation points presented in this work was found to be feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Merle Reinhart
- Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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19
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Gaa T, Reinhart M, Hartmann B, Jakubek J, Soukup P, Jäkel O, Martišíková M. Visualization of air and metal inhomogeneities in phantoms irradiated by carbon ion beams using prompt secondary ions. Phys Med 2017; 38:140-147. [PMID: 28576582 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2017.05.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Non-invasive methods for monitoring of the therapeutic ion beam extension in the patient are desired in order to handle deteriorations of the dose distribution related to changes of the patient geometry. In carbon ion radiotherapy, secondary light ions represent one of potential sources of information about the dose distribution in the irradiated target. The capability to detect range-changing inhomogeneities inside of an otherwise homogeneous phantom, based on single track measurements, is addressed in this paper. METHODS Air and stainless steel inhomogeneities, with PMMA equivalent thickness of 10mm and 4.8mm respectively, were inserted into a PMMA-phantom at different positions in depth. Irradiations of the phantom with therapeutic carbon ion pencil beams were performed at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center. Tracks of single secondary ions escaping the phantom under irradiation were detected with a pixelized semiconductor detector Timepix. The statistical relevance of the found differences between the track distributions with and without inhomogeneities was evaluated. RESULTS Measured shifts of the distal edge and changes in the fragmentation probability make the presence of inhomogeneities inserted into the traversed medium detectable for both, 10mm air cavities and 1mm thick stainless steel. Moreover, the method was shown to be sensitive also on their position in the observed body, even when localized behind the Bragg-peak. CONCLUSIONS The presented results demonstrate experimentally, that the method using distributions of single secondary ion tracks is sensitive to the changes of homogeneity of the traversed material for the studied geometries of the target.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Gaa
- Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M Reinhart
- Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - B Hartmann
- Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Jakubek
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, Horska 3a/22, 12800 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - P Soukup
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, Horska 3a/22, 12800 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - O Jäkel
- Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 450, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M Martišíková
- Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg, Germany.
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20
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Marafini M, Gasparini L, Mirabelli R, Pinci D, Patera V, Sciubba A, Spiriti E, Stoppa D, Traini G, Sarti A. MONDO: a neutron tracker for particle therapy secondary emission characterisation. Phys Med Biol 2017; 62:3299-3312. [PMID: 28350543 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aa623a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tumour control is performed in particle therapy using particles and ions, whose high irradiation precision enhances the effectiveness of the treatment, while sparing the healthy tissue surrounding the target volume. Dose range monitoring devices using photons and charged particles produced by the beam interacting with the patient's body have already been proposed, but no attempt has been made yet to exploit the detection of the abundant neutron component. Since neutrons can release a significant dose far away from the tumour region, precise measurements of their flux, production energy and angle distributions are eagerly sought in order to improve the treatment planning system (TPS) software. It will thus be possible to predict not only the normal tissue toxicity in the target region, but also the risk of late complications in the whole body. The aforementioned issues underline the importance of an experimental effort devoted to the precise characterisation of neutron production, aimed at the measurement of their abundance, emission point and production energy. The technical challenges posed by a neutron detector aimed at high detection efficiency and good backtracking precision are addressed within the MONDO (monitor for neutron dose in hadrontherapy) project, whose main goal is to develop a tracking detector that can target fast and ultrafast neutrons. A full reconstruction of two consecutive elastic scattering interactions undergone by the neutrons inside the detector material will be used to measure their energy and direction. The preliminary results of an MC simulation performed using the FLUKA software are presented here, together with the DSiPM (digital SiPM) readout implementation. New detector readout implementations specifically tailored to the MONDO tracker are also discussed, and the neutron detection efficiency attainable with the proposed neutron tracking strategy are reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Marafini
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Rome, Italy. Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche 'E. Fermi', Rome, Italy
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21
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Mattei I, Bini F, Collamati F, De Lucia E, Frallicciardi PM, Iarocci E, Mancini-Terracciano C, Marafini M, Muraro S, Paramatti R, Patera V, Piersanti L, Pinci D, Rucinski A, Russomando A, Sarti A, Sciubba A, Solfaroli Camillocci E, Toppi M, Traini G, Voena C, Battistoni G. Secondary radiation measurements for particle therapy applications: prompt photons produced by 4He, 12C and 16O ion beams in a PMMA target. Phys Med Biol 2017; 62:1438-1455. [PMID: 28114112 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/62/4/1438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Charged particle beams are used in particle therapy (PT) to treat oncological patients due to their selective dose deposition in tissues with respect to the photons and electrons used in conventional radiotherapy. Heavy (Z > 1) PT beams can additionally be exploited for their high biological effectiveness in killing cancer cells. Nowadays, protons and carbon ions are used in PT clinical routines. Recently, interest in the potential application of helium and oxygen beams has been growing. With respect to protons, such beams are characterized by their reduced multiple scattering inside the body, increased linear energy transfer, relative biological effectiveness and oxygen enhancement ratio. The precision of PT demands online dose monitoring techniques, crucial to improving the quality assurance of any treatment: possible patient mis-positioning and biological tissue changes with respect to the planning CT scan could negatively affect the outcome of the therapy. The beam range confined in the irradiated target can be monitored thanks to the neutral or charged secondary radiation emitted by the interactions of hadron beams with matter. Among these secondary products, prompt photons are produced by nuclear de-excitation processes, and at present, different dose monitoring and beam range verification techniques based on prompt-γ detection are being proposed. It is hence of importance to perform γ yield measurement in therapeutic-like conditions. In this paper we report on the yields of prompt photons produced by the interaction of helium, carbon and oxygen ion beams with a poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) beam stopping target. The measurements were performed at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) with beams of different energies. An LYSO scintillator, placed at [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with respect to the beam direction, was used as the photon detector. The obtained γ yields for the carbon ion beams are compared with results from the literature, while no other results from helium and oxygen beams have been published yet. A discussion on the expected resolution of a slit camera detector is presented, demonstrating the feasibility of a prompt-γ-based monitoring technique for PT treatments using helium, carbon and oxygen ion beams.
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22
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Traini G, Battistoni G, Bollella A, Collamati F, De Lucia E, Faccini R, Ferroni F, Frallicciardi PM, Mancini-Terracciano C, Marafini M, Mattei I, Miraglia F, Muraro S, Paramatti R, Piersanti L, Pinci D, Rucinski A, Russomando A, Sarti A, Sciubba A, Senzacqua M, Solfaroli-Camillocci E, Toppi M, Voena C, Patera V. Design of a new tracking device for on-line beam range monitor in carbon therapy. Phys Med 2017; 34:18-27. [PMID: 28111101 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Charged particle therapy is a technique for cancer treatment that exploits hadron beams, mostly protons and carbon ions. A critical issue is the monitoring of the beam range so to check the correct dose deposition to the tumor and surrounding tissues. The design of a new tracking device for beam range real-time monitoring in pencil beam carbon ion therapy is presented. The proposed device tracks secondary charged particles produced by beam interactions in the patient tissue and exploits the correlation of the charged particle emission profile with the spatial dose deposition and the Bragg peak position. The detector, currently under construction, uses the information provided by 12 layers of scintillating fibers followed by a plastic scintillator and a pixelated Lutetium Fine Silicate (LFS) crystal calorimeter. An algorithm to account and correct for emission profile distortion due to charged secondaries absorption inside the patient tissue is also proposed. Finally detector reconstruction efficiency for charged particle emission profile is evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation considering a quasi-realistic case of a non-homogenous phantom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Traini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Angela Bollella
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesco Collamati
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Erika De Lucia
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN (LNF), Via Enrico Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati(Roma), Italy
| | - Riccardo Faccini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Fernando Ferroni
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Mancini-Terracciano
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Michela Marafini
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria (SBAI), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Antonio Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Ilaria Mattei
- INFN Sezione di Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Federico Miraglia
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Silvia Muraro
- INFN Sezione di Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Paramatti
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Luca Piersanti
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN (LNF), Via Enrico Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati(Roma), Italy
| | - Davide Pinci
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Antoni Rucinski
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria (SBAI), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Antonio Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Russomando
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Alessio Sarti
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria (SBAI), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Antonio Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Adalberto Sciubba
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria (SBAI), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Antonio Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", P.zza del Viminale, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Martina Senzacqua
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria (SBAI), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Antonio Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Elena Solfaroli-Camillocci
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Toppi
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN (LNF), Via Enrico Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati(Roma), Italy
| | - Cecilia Voena
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Patera
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Pl.e Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria (SBAI), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Antonio Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy; Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche "E. Fermi", P.zza del Viminale, 00184 Roma, Italy
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23
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Durante M, Paganetti H. Nuclear physics in particle therapy: a review. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2016; 79:096702. [PMID: 27540827 DOI: 10.1088/0034-4885/79/9/096702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Charged particle therapy has been largely driven and influenced by nuclear physics. The increase in energy deposition density along the ion path in the body allows reducing the dose to normal tissues during radiotherapy compared to photons. Clinical results of particle therapy support the physical rationale for this treatment, but the method remains controversial because of the high cost and of the lack of comparative clinical trials proving the benefit compared to x-rays. Research in applied nuclear physics, including nuclear interactions, dosimetry, image guidance, range verification, novel accelerators and beam delivery technologies, can significantly improve the clinical outcome in particle therapy. Measurements of fragmentation cross-sections, including those for the production of positron-emitting fragments, and attenuation curves are needed for tuning Monte Carlo codes, whose use in clinical environments is rapidly increasing thanks to fast calculation methods. Existing cross sections and codes are indeed not very accurate in the energy and target regions of interest for particle therapy. These measurements are especially urgent for new ions to be used in therapy, such as helium. Furthermore, nuclear physics hardware developments are frequently finding applications in ion therapy due to similar requirements concerning sensors and real-time data processing. In this review we will briefly describe the physics bases, and concentrate on the open issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Durante
- Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications (TIFPA), National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo (TN), Italy. Department of Physics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
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24
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Muraro S, Battistoni G, Collamati F, De Lucia E, Faccini R, Ferroni F, Fiore S, Frallicciardi P, Marafini M, Mattei I, Morganti S, Paramatti R, Piersanti L, Pinci D, Rucinski A, Russomando A, Sarti A, Sciubba A, Solfaroli-Camillocci E, Toppi M, Traini G, Voena C, Patera V. Monitoring of Hadrontherapy Treatments by Means of Charged Particle Detection. Front Oncol 2016; 6:177. [PMID: 27536555 PMCID: PMC4972018 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2016.00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction of the incoming beam radiation with the patient body in hadrontherapy treatments produces secondary charged and neutral particles, whose detection can be used for monitoring purposes and to perform an on-line check of beam particle range. In the context of ion-therapy with active scanning, charged particles are potentially attractive since they can be easily tracked with a high efficiency, in presence of a relatively low background contamination. In order to verify the possibility of exploiting this approach for in-beam monitoring in ion-therapy, and to guide the design of specific detectors, both simulations and experimental tests are being performed with ion beams impinging on simple homogeneous tissue-like targets (PMMA). From these studies, a resolution of the order of few millimeters on the single track has been proven to be sufficient to exploit charged particle tracking for monitoring purposes, preserving the precision achievable on longitudinal shape. The results obtained so far show that the measurement of charged particles can be successfully implemented in a technology capable of monitoring both the dose profile and the position of the Bragg peak inside the target and finally lead to the design of a novel profile detector. Crucial aspects to be considered are the detector positioning, to be optimized in order to maximize the available statistics, and the capability of accounting for the multiple scattering interactions undergone by the charged fragments along their exit path from the patient body. The experimental results collected up to now are also valuable for the validation of Monte Carlo simulation software tools and their implementation in Treatment Planning Software packages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Erika De Lucia
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell’INFN, Frascati, Italy
| | - Riccardo Faccini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - Fernando Ferroni
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Paola Frallicciardi
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerche Cliniche Ecomedia, Empoli, Italy
| | - Michela Marafini
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche “E. Fermi”, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Silvio Morganti
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Luca Piersanti
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell’INFN, Frascati, Italy
| | | | - Antoni Rucinski
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Russomando
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - Alessio Sarti
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche “E. Fermi”, Roma, Italy
| | - Adalberto Sciubba
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche “E. Fermi”, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Marco Toppi
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell’INFN, Frascati, Italy
| | - Giacomo Traini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Patera
- INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per Ingegneria, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche “E. Fermi”, Roma, Italy
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Cambraia Lopes P, Bauer J, Salomon A, Rinaldi I, Tabacchini V, Tessonnier T, Crespo P, Parodi K, Schaart DR. Firstin situTOF-PET study using digital photon counters for proton range verification. Phys Med Biol 2016; 61:6203-30. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/61/16/6203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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26
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Dedes G, Parodi K. Monte Carlo Simulations of Particle Interactions with Tissue in Carbon Ion Therapy. Int J Part Ther 2016; 2:447-458. [PMID: 31772955 PMCID: PMC6874200 DOI: 10.14338/ijpt-15-00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Monte Carlo simulations are increasingly considered the most accurate tool for calculating particle interactions with tissue. This contribution reviews the basics of Monte Carlo methods and their emerging role for application to several areas of macroscopic simulation in the worldwide rapidly growing field of carbon ion therapy, spanning from dosimetric calculations to imaging of secondary radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Dedes
- Department of Medical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Katia Parodi
- Department of Medical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
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27
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Pinto M, Dauvergne D, Freud N, Krimmer J, Létang JM, Testa E. Assessment of Geant4 Prompt-Gamma Emission Yields in the Context of Proton Therapy Monitoring. Front Oncol 2016; 6:10. [PMID: 26858937 PMCID: PMC4729887 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2016.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Monte Carlo tools have been long used to assist the research and development of solutions for proton therapy monitoring. The present work focuses on the prompt-gamma emission yields by comparing experimental data with the outcomes of the current version of Geant4 using all applicable proton inelastic models. For the case in study and using the binary cascade model, it was found that Geant4 overestimates the prompt-gamma emission yields by 40.2 ± 0.3%, even though it predicts the prompt-gamma profile length of the experimental profile accurately. In addition, the default implementations of all proton inelastic models show an overestimation in the number of prompt gammas emitted. Finally, a set of built-in options and physically sound Geant4 source code changes have been tested in order to try to improve the discrepancy observed. A satisfactory agreement was found when using the QMD model with a wave packet width equal to 1.3 fm2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Pinto
- CNRS/IN2P3 UMR 5822, IPNL, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1 , Villeurbanne , France
| | - Denis Dauvergne
- CNRS/IN2P3 UMR 5822, IPNL, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1 , Villeurbanne , France
| | - Nicolas Freud
- CREATIS, CNRS UMR 5220, INSERM U1044, INSA-Lyon, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1 , Lyon , France
| | - Jochen Krimmer
- CNRS/IN2P3 UMR 5822, IPNL, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1 , Villeurbanne , France
| | - Jean M Létang
- CREATIS, CNRS UMR 5220, INSERM U1044, INSA-Lyon, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1 , Lyon , France
| | - Etienne Testa
- CNRS/IN2P3 UMR 5822, IPNL, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1 , Villeurbanne , France
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28
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Battistoni G. Nuclear physics and particle therapy. EPJ WEB OF CONFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/201611705001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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29
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Parodi K. Vision 20/20: Positron emission tomography in radiation therapy planning, delivery, and monitoring. Med Phys 2015; 42:7153-68. [DOI: 10.1118/1.4935869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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30
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Cambraia Lopes P, Clementel E, Crespo P, Henrotin S, Huizenga J, Janssens G, Parodi K, Prieels D, Roellinghoff F, Smeets J, Stichelbaut F, Schaart DR. Time-resolved imaging of prompt-gamma rays for proton range verification using a knife-edge slit camera based on digital photon counters. Phys Med Biol 2015. [PMID: 26216269 DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/60/15/6063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Proton range monitoring may facilitate online adaptive proton therapy and improve treatment outcomes. Imaging of proton-induced prompt gamma (PG) rays using a knife-edge slit collimator is currently under investigation as a potential tool for real-time proton range monitoring. A major challenge in collimated PG imaging is the suppression of neutron-induced background counts. In this work, we present an initial performance test of two knife-edge slit camera prototypes based on arrays of digital photon counters (DPCs). PG profiles emitted from a PMMA target upon irradiation with a 160 MeV proton pencil beams (about 6.5 × 10(9) protons delivered in total) were measured using detector modules equipped with four DPC arrays coupled to BGO or LYSO : Ce crystal matrices. The knife-edge slit collimator and detector module were placed at 15 cm and 30 cm from the beam axis, respectively, in all cases. The use of LYSO : Ce enabled time-of-flight (TOF) rejection of background events, by synchronizing the DPC readout electronics with the 106 MHz radiofrequency signal of the cyclotron. The signal-to-background (S/B) ratio of 1.6 obtained with a 1.5 ns TOF window and a 3 MeV-7 MeV energy window was about 3 times higher than that obtained with the same detector module without TOF discrimination and 2 times higher than the S/B ratio obtained with the BGO module. Even 1 mm shifts of the Bragg peak position translated into clear and consistent shifts of the PG profile if TOF discrimination was applied, for a total number of protons as low as about 6.5 × 10(8) and a detector surface of 6.6 cm × 6.6 cm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Cambraia Lopes
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands. Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas, Coimbra, Portugal. Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center, Heidelberg University Clinic, Heidelberg, Germany
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31
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Kraan AC. Range Verification Methods in Particle Therapy: Underlying Physics and Monte Carlo Modeling. Front Oncol 2015; 5:150. [PMID: 26217586 PMCID: PMC4493660 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2015.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hadron therapy allows for highly conformal dose distributions and better sparing of organs-at-risk, thanks to the characteristic dose deposition as function of depth. However, the quality of hadron therapy treatments is closely connected with the ability to predict and achieve a given beam range in the patient. Currently, uncertainties in particle range lead to the employment of safety margins, at the expense of treatment quality. Much research in particle therapy is therefore aimed at developing methods to verify the particle range in patients. Non-invasive in vivo monitoring of the particle range can be performed by detecting secondary radiation, emitted from the patient as a result of nuclear interactions of charged hadrons with tissue, including β (+) emitters, prompt photons, and charged fragments. The correctness of the dose delivery can be verified by comparing measured and pre-calculated distributions of the secondary particles. The reliability of Monte Carlo (MC) predictions is a key issue. Correctly modeling the production of secondaries is a non-trivial task, because it involves nuclear physics interactions at energies, where no rigorous theories exist to describe them. The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of various aspects in modeling the physics processes for range verification with secondary particles produced in proton, carbon, and heavier ion irradiation. We discuss electromagnetic and nuclear interactions of charged hadrons in matter, which is followed by a summary of some widely used MC codes in hadron therapy. Then, we describe selected examples of how these codes have been validated and used in three range verification techniques: PET, prompt gamma, and charged particle detection. We include research studies and clinically applied methods. For each of the techniques, we point out advantages and disadvantages, as well as clinical challenges still to be addressed, focusing on MC simulation aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aafke Christine Kraan
- Department of Physics, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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32
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Priegnitz M, Helmbrecht S, Janssens G, Perali I, Smeets J, Vander Stappen F, Sterpin E, Fiedler F. Measurement of prompt gamma profiles in inhomogeneous targets with a knife-edge slit camera during proton irradiation. Phys Med Biol 2015; 60:4849-71. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/60/12/4849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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33
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Pinto M, De Rydt M, Dauvergne D, Dedes G, Freud N, Krimmer J, Létang JM, Ray C, Testa E, Testa M. Technical Note: Experimental carbon ion range verification in inhomogeneous phantoms using prompt gammas. Med Phys 2015; 42:2342-6. [DOI: 10.1118/1.4917225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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34
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Sarrut D, Bardiès M, Boussion N, Freud N, Jan S, Létang JM, Loudos G, Maigne L, Marcatili S, Mauxion T, Papadimitroulas P, Perrot Y, Pietrzyk U, Robert C, Schaart DR, Visvikis D, Buvat I. A review of the use and potential of the GATE Monte Carlo simulation code for radiation therapy and dosimetry applications. Med Phys 2015; 41:064301. [PMID: 24877844 DOI: 10.1118/1.4871617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, the authors' review the applicability of the open-source GATE Monte Carlo simulation platform based on the GEANT4 toolkit for radiation therapy and dosimetry applications. The many applications of GATE for state-of-the-art radiotherapy simulations are described including external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, intraoperative radiotherapy, hadrontherapy, molecular radiotherapy, and in vivo dose monitoring. Investigations that have been performed using GEANT4 only are also mentioned to illustrate the potential of GATE. The very practical feature of GATE making it easy to model both a treatment and an imaging acquisition within the same framework is emphasized. The computational times associated with several applications are provided to illustrate the practical feasibility of the simulations using current computing facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sarrut
- Université de Lyon, CREATIS; CNRS UMR5220; Inserm U1044; INSA-Lyon; Université Lyon 1; Centre Léon Bérard, France
| | - Manuel Bardiès
- Inserm, UMR1037 CRCT, F-31000 Toulouse, France and Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, UMR1037 CRCT, F-31000 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Nicolas Freud
- Université de Lyon, CREATIS, CNRS UMR5220, Inserm U1044, INSA-Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France
| | | | - Jean-Michel Létang
- Université de Lyon, CREATIS, CNRS UMR5220, Inserm U1044, INSA-Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - George Loudos
- Department of Medical Instruments Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Athens 12210, Greece
| | - Lydia Maigne
- UMR 6533 CNRS/IN2P3, Université Blaise Pascal, 63171 Aubière, France
| | - Sara Marcatili
- Inserm, UMR1037 CRCT, F-31000 Toulouse, France and Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, UMR1037 CRCT, F-31000 Toulouse, France
| | - Thibault Mauxion
- Inserm, UMR1037 CRCT, F-31000 Toulouse, France and Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, UMR1037 CRCT, F-31000 Toulouse, France
| | - Panagiotis Papadimitroulas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, 12210, Athens, Greece
| | - Yann Perrot
- UMR 6533 CNRS/IN2P3, Université Blaise Pascal, 63171 Aubière, France
| | - Uwe Pietrzyk
- Institut für Neurowissenschaften und Medizin, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany and Fachbereich für Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, 42097 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Charlotte Robert
- IMNC, UMR 8165 CNRS, Universités Paris 7 et Paris 11, Orsay 91406, France
| | - Dennis R Schaart
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Radiation Science and Technology Department, Delft Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands
| | | | - Irène Buvat
- IMNC, UMR 8165 CNRS, Universités Paris 7 et Paris 11, 91406 Orsay, France and CEA/DSV/I2BM/SHFJ, 91400 Orsay, France
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35
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Pinto M, Bajard M, Brons S, Chevallier M, Dauvergne D, Dedes G, De Rydt M, Freud N, Krimmer J, La Tessa C, Létang JM, Parodi K, Pleskač R, Prieels D, Ray C, Rinaldi I, Roellinghoff F, Schardt D, Testa E, Testa M. Absolute prompt-gamma yield measurements for ion beam therapy monitoring. Phys Med Biol 2014; 60:565-94. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/60/2/565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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36
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Frey K, Unholtz D, Bauer J, Debus J, Min CH, Bortfeld T, Paganetti H, Parodi K. Automation and uncertainty analysis of a method for in-vivo range verification in particle therapy. Phys Med Biol 2014; 59:5903-19. [PMID: 25211629 PMCID: PMC10008084 DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/59/19/5903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We introduce the automation of the range difference calculation deduced from particle-irradiation induced β(+)-activity distributions with the so-called most-likely-shift approach, and evaluate its reliability via the monitoring of algorithm- and patient-specific uncertainty factors. The calculation of the range deviation is based on the minimization of the absolute profile differences in the distal part of two activity depth profiles shifted against each other. Depending on the workflow of positron emission tomography (PET)-based range verification, the two profiles under evaluation can correspond to measured and simulated distributions, or only measured data from different treatment sessions. In comparison to previous work, the proposed approach includes an automated identification of the distal region of interest for each pair of PET depth profiles and under consideration of the planned dose distribution, resulting in the optimal shift distance. Moreover, it introduces an estimate of uncertainty associated to the identified shift, which is then used as weighting factor to 'red flag' problematic large range differences. Furthermore, additional patient-specific uncertainty factors are calculated using available computed tomography (CT) data to support the range analysis. The performance of the new method for in-vivo treatment verification in the clinical routine is investigated with in-room PET images for proton therapy as well as with offline PET images for proton and carbon ion therapy. The comparison between measured PET activity distributions and predictions obtained by Monte Carlo simulations or measurements from previous treatment fractions is performed. For this purpose, a total of 15 patient datasets were analyzed, which were acquired at Massachusetts General Hospital and Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center with in-room PET and offline PET/CT scanners, respectively. Calculated range differences between the compared activity distributions are reported in a 2D map in beam-eye-view. In comparison to previously proposed approaches, the new most-likely-shift method shows more robust results for assessing in-vivo the range from strongly varying PET distributions caused by differing patient geometry, ion beam species, beam delivery techniques, PET imaging concepts and counting statistics. The additional visualization of the uncertainties and the dedicated weighting strategy contribute to the understanding of the reliability of observed range differences and the complexity in the prediction of activity distributions. The proposed method promises to offer a feasible technique for clinical routine of PET-based range verification.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Frey
- Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
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37
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Janssen FMFC, Landry G, Cambraia Lopes P, Dedes G, Smeets J, Schaart DR, Parodi K, Verhaegen F. Factors influencing the accuracy of beam range estimation in proton therapy using prompt gamma emission. Phys Med Biol 2014; 59:4427-41. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/59/15/4427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Heavy ion radiography and tomography. Phys Med 2014; 30:539-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2014.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Revised: 02/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Piersanti L, Bellini F, Bini F, Collamati F, De Lucia E, Durante M, Faccini R, Ferroni F, Fiore S, Iarocci E, Tessa CL, Marafini M, Mattei I, Patera V, Ortega PG, Sarti A, Schuy C, Sciubba A, Vanstalle M, Voena C. Measurement of charged particle yields from PMMA irradiated by a 220 MeV/u12Cbeam. Phys Med Biol 2014; 59:1857-72. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/59/7/1857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Dedes G, Pinto M, Dauvergne D, Freud N, Krimmer J, Létang JM, Ray C, Testa E. Assessment and improvements of Geant4 hadronic models in the context of prompt-gamma hadrontherapy monitoring. Phys Med Biol 2014; 59:1747-72. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/59/7/1747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Rescigno R, Finck C, Juliani D, Baudot J, Dauvergne D, Dedes G, Krimmer J, Ray C, Reithinger V, Rousseau M, Testa E, Winter M. Simulation toolkit with CMOS detector in the framework of hadrontherapy. EPJ WEB OF CONFERENCES 2014. [DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/20146610013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Sadrozinski HFW. Particle Detector Applications in Medicine. NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH. SECTION A, ACCELERATORS, SPECTROMETERS, DETECTORS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT 2013; 732:10.1016/j.nima.2013.05.117. [PMID: 24298195 PMCID: PMC3843517 DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2013.05.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Selected particle detectors are described which find an application in medicine and have been the topic of presentations at the 2013 Vienna Conference of Instrumentation (VCI).
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Rohling H, Sihver L, Priegnitz M, Enghardt W, Fiedler F. Comparison of PHITS, GEANT4, and HIBRAC simulations of depth-dependent yields of β+-emitting nuclei during therapeutic particle irradiation to measured data. Phys Med Biol 2013; 58:6355-68. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/58/18/6355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Jäkel O, Smith AR, Orton CG. The more important heavy charged particle radiotherapy of the future is more likely to be with heavy ions rather than protons. Med Phys 2013; 40:090601. [DOI: 10.1118/1.4798945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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Gueth P, Dauvergne D, Freud N, Létang JM, Ray C, Testa E, Sarrut D. Machine learning-based patient specific prompt-gamma dose monitoring in proton therapy. Phys Med Biol 2013; 58:4563-77. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/58/13/4563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Gwosch K, Hartmann B, Jakubek J, Granja C, Soukup P, Jäkel O, Martišíková M. Non-invasive monitoring of therapeutic carbon ion beams in a homogeneous phantom by tracking of secondary ions. Phys Med Biol 2013; 58:3755-73. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/58/11/3755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Robert C, Dedes G, Battistoni G, Böhlen TT, Buvat I, Cerutti F, Chin MPW, Ferrari A, Gueth P, Kurz C, Lestand L, Mairani A, Montarou G, Nicolini R, Ortega PG, Parodi K, Prezado Y, Sala PR, Sarrut D, Testa E. Distributions of secondary particles in proton and carbon-ion therapy: a comparison between GATE/Geant4 and FLUKA Monte Carlo codes. Phys Med Biol 2013; 58:2879-99. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/58/9/2879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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