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Cartechini G, Missiaggia M, Scifoni E, La Tessa C, Cordoni FG. Integrating microdosimetric in vitroRBE models for particle therapy into TOPAS MC using the MicrOdosimetry-based modeliNg for RBE ASsessment (MONAS) tool. Phys Med Biol 2024; 69:045005. [PMID: 38211313 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad1d66] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Objective.In this paper, we present MONAS (MicrOdosimetry-based modelliNg for relative biological effectiveness (RBE) ASsessment) toolkit. MONAS is a TOPAS Monte Carlo extension, that combines simulations of microdosimetric distributions with radiobiological microdosimetry-based models for predicting cell survival curves and dose-dependent RBE.Approach.MONAS expands TOPAS microdosimetric extension, by including novel specific energy scorers to calculate the single- and multi-event specific energy microdosimetric distributions at different micrometer scales. These spectra are used as physical input to three different formulations of themicrodosimetric kinetic model, and to thegeneralized stochastic microdosimetric model(GSM2), to predict dose-dependent cell survival fraction and RBE. MONAS predictions are then validated against experimental microdosimetric spectra andin vitrosurvival fraction data. To show the MONAS features, we present two different applications of the code: (i) the depth-RBE curve calculation from a passively scattered proton SOBP and monoenergetic12C-ion beam by using experimentally validated spectra as physical input, and (ii) the calculation of the 3D RBE distribution on a real head and neck patient geometry treated with protons.Main results.MONAS can estimate dose-dependent RBE and cell survival curves from experimentally validated microdosimetric spectra with four clinically relevant radiobiological models. From the radiobiological characterization of a proton SOBP and12C fields, we observe the well-known trend of increasing RBE values at the distal edge of the radiation field. The 3D RBE map calculated confirmed the trend observed in the analysis of the SOBP, with the highest RBE values found in the distal edge of the target.Significance.MONAS extension offers a comprehensive microdosimetry-based framework for assessing the biological effects of particle radiation in both research and clinical environments, pushing closer the experimental physics-based description to the biological damage assessment, contributing to bridging the gap between a microdosimetric description of the radiation field and its application in proton therapy treatment with variable RBE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Cartechini
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1550 NW 10th Avenue, 33126, Miami (FL), United States of America
- Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Application (TIFPA), via Sommarive 15, I-38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Marta Missiaggia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1550 NW 10th Avenue, 33126, Miami (FL), United States of America
- Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Application (TIFPA), via Sommarive 15, I-38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Emanuele Scifoni
- Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Application (TIFPA), via Sommarive 15, I-38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Chiara La Tessa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1550 NW 10th Avenue, 33126, Miami (FL), United States of America
- Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Application (TIFPA), via Sommarive 15, I-38123, Trento, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, via Sommarive 14, I-38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Francesco G Cordoni
- Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Application (TIFPA), via Sommarive 15, I-38123, Trento, Italy
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, I-38123, Trento, Italy
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Selva A, Bianchi A, Cirrone GAP, Petringa G, Romano F, Schettino G, Conte V. Sensitivity of a mini-TEPC to radiation quality variations in clinical proton beams. Phys Med 2024; 118:103201. [PMID: 38199179 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2023.103201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This work aims at studying the sensitivity of a miniaturized Tissue-Equivalent Proportional Counter to variations of beam quality in clinical radiation fields, to further investigate its performances as radiation quality monitor. METHODS Measurements were taken at the CATANA facility (INFN-LNS, Catania, Italy), in a monoenergetic and an energy-modulated proton beam with the same initial energy of 62 MeV. PMMA layers were placed in front of the detector to measure at different depths along the depth-dose profile. The frequency- and dose-mean lineal energy were compared to the track- and dose-averaged LET calculated by Monte Carlo simulations. A microdosimetric evaluation of the Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) was performed and compared with cell survival experiments. RESULTS Microdosimetric distributions measured at identical depths in the two beams show spectral differences reflecting their different radiation quality. Discrepancies are most evident at depths corresponding to the Spread-Out Bragg Peak, while spectra at the entrance and in the dose fall-off regions are similar. This can be explained by the different energy components that compose the pristine and spread-out peaks at each depth. The trend of microdosimetric mean values matches that of calculated LET averages along the entire penetration depth, and the microdosimetric estimation of RBE is consistent with radiobiological data not only at 2 Gy but also at lower dose levels, such as those absorbed by healthy tissues. CONCLUSIONS The mini-TEPC is sensitive to differences in radiation quality resulting from different modulations of the proton beam, confirming its potential for beam quality monitoring in proton therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Selva
- INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro, Italy.
| | - A Bianchi
- INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro, Italy
| | | | - G Petringa
- INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania, Italy
| | - F Romano
- INFN Sezione di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - G Schettino
- National Physical Laboratory, Medical Radiation Science, Teddington, UK
| | - V Conte
- INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro, Italy
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Parisi A, Beltran CJ, Furutani KM. Variable RBE in proton radiotherapy: a comparative study with the predictive Mayo Clinic Florida microdosimetric kinetic model and phenomenological models of cell survival. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68:185020. [PMID: 38133518 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/acf43b] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Objectives. (1) To examine to what extent the cell- and exposure- specific information neglected in the phenomenological proton relative biological effectiveness (RBE) models could influence the computed RBE in proton therapy. (2) To explore similarities and differences in the formalism and the results between the linear energy transfer (LET)-based phenomenological proton RBE models and the microdosimetry-based Mayo Clinic Florida microdosimetric kinetic model (MCF MKM). (3) To investigate how the relationship between the RBE and the dose-mean proton LET is affected by the proton energy spectrum and the secondary fragments.Approach. We systematically compared six selected phenomenological proton RBE models with the MCF MKM in track-segment simulations, monoenergetic proton beams in a water phantom, and two spread-out Bragg peaks. A representative comparison within vitrodata for human glioblastoma cells (U87 cell line) is also included.Main results. Marked differences were observed between the results of the phenomenological proton RBE models, as reported in previous studies. The dispersion of these models' results was found to be comparable to the spread in the MCF MKM results obtained by varying the cell-specific parameters neglected in the phenomenological models. Furthermore, while single cell-specific correlation between RBE and the dose-mean proton LET seems reasonable above 2 keVμm-1, caution is necessary at lower LET values due to the relevant contribution of secondary fragments. The comparison within vitrodata demonstrates comparable agreement between the MCF MKM predictions and the results of the phenomenological models.Significance. The study highlights the importance of considering cell-specific characteristics and detailed radiation quality information for accurate RBE calculations in proton therapy. Furthermore, these results provide confidence in the use of the MCF MKM for clonogenic survival RBE calculations in proton therapy, offering a more mechanistic approach compared to phenomenological models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Parisi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States of America
| | - Chris J Beltran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States of America
| | - Keith M Furutani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States of America
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DeCunha JM, Newpower M, Mohan R. GPU-accelerated calculation of proton microdosimetric spectra as a function of target size, proton energy, and bounding volume size. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68:165012. [PMID: 37429311 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ace60a] [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: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Objective.Shortcomings of dose-averaged linear energy transfer (LETD), the quantity which is most commonly used to quantify proton relative biological effectiveness, have long been recognized. Microdosimetric spectra may overcome the limitations of LETDbut are extremely computationally demanding to calculate. A systematic library of lineal energy spectra for monoenergetic protons could enable rapid determination of microdosimetric spectra in a clinical environment. The objective of this work was to calculate and validate such a library of lineal energy spectra.Approach. SuperTrack, a GPU-accelerated CUDA/C++ based application, was developed to superimpose tracks calculated using Geant4 onto targets of interest and to compute microdosimetric spectra. Lineal energy spectra of protons with energies from 0.1 to 100 MeV were determined in spherical targets of diameters from 1 nm to 10μm and in bounding voxels with side lengths of 5μm and 3 mm.Main results.Compared to an analogous Geant4-based application, SuperTrack is up to 3500 times more computationally efficient if each track is resampled 1000 times. Dose spectra of lineal energy and dose-mean lineal energy calculated with SuperTrack were consistent with values published in the literature and with comparison to a Geant4 simulation. Using SuperTrack, we developed the largest known library of proton microdosimetric spectra as a function of primary proton energy, target size, and bounding volume size.Significance. SuperTrack greatly increases the computational efficiency of the calculation of microdosimetric spectra. The elevated lineal energy observed in a 3 mm side length bounding volume suggests that lineal energy spectra determined experimentally or computed in small bounding volumes may not be representative of the lineal energy spectra in voxels of a dose calculation grid. The library of lineal energy spectra calculated in this work could be integrated with a treatment planning system for rapid determination of lineal energy spectra in patient geometries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M DeCunha
- Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Medical Physics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Mark Newpower
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States of America
| | - Radhe Mohan
- Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
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