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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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2
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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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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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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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5
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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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6
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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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7
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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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8
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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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9
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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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10
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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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Toppi M, Battistoni G, Bellini F, Collamati F, De Lucia E, Durante M, Faccini R, Frallicciardi P, Marafini M, Mattei I, Morganti S, Muraro S, Paramatti R, Patera V, Pinci D, Piersanti L, Rucinski A, Russomando A, Sarti A, Sciubba A, Senzacqua M, Solfaroli Camillocci E, Traini G, Voena C. Measurement of secondary particle production induced by particle therapy ion beams impinging on a PMMA target. EPJ WEB OF CONFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/201611705007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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12
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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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13
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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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14
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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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15
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Agodi C, Battistoni G, Bellini F, Cirrone GAP, Collamati F, Cuttone G, De Lucia E, De Napoli M, Di Domenico A, Faccini R, Ferroni F, Fiore S, Gauzzi P, Iarocci E, Marafini M, Mattei I, Muraro S, Paoloni A, Patera V, Piersanti L, Romano F, Sarti A, Sciubba A, Vitale E, Voena C. Corrigendum: Charged particles flux measurement from PMMA irradiated by 80 MeV u−1carbon ion beam (Phys. Med. Biol.57 5667). Phys Med Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/59/23/7563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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16
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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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17
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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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