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Ciarrocchi E, Ravera E, Cavalieri A, Celentano M, Del Sarto D, Di Martino F, Linsalata S, Massa M, Masturzo L, Moggi A, Morrocchi M, Pensavalle JH, Bisogni MG. Plastic scintillator-based dosimeters for ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) electron radiotherapy. Phys Med 2024; 121:103360. [PMID: 38692114 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2024.103360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper reports the development of dosimeters based on plastic scintillating fibers imaged by a charge-coupled device camera, and their performance evaluation through irradiations with the electron Flash research accelerator located at the Centro Pisano Flash Radiotherapy. The dosimeter prototypes were composed of a piece of plastic scintillating fiber optically coupled to a clear optical fiber which transported the scintillation signal to the readout systems (an imaging system and a photodiode). The following properties were tested: linearity, capability to reconstruct the percentage depth dose curve in solid water and to sample in time the single beam pulse. The stem effect contribution was evaluated with three methods, and a proof-of-concept one-dimensional array was developed and tested for online beam profiling. Results show linearity up to 10 Gy per pulse, and good capability to reconstruct both the timing and spatial profiles of the beam, thus suggesting that plastic scintillating fibers may be good candidates for low-energy electron Flash dosimetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Ciarrocchi
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - E Ravera
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Cavalieri
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Celentano
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria pisana, U.O. Fisica Sanitaria, Pisa, Italy; Centro Pisano ricerca e implementazione clinical Flash Radiotherapy (CPFR-CISUP), Pisa, Italy
| | - D Del Sarto
- National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria pisana, U.O. Fisica Sanitaria, Pisa, Italy; Centro Pisano ricerca e implementazione clinical Flash Radiotherapy (CPFR-CISUP), Pisa, Italy; University of Pisa, Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), Pisa, Italy
| | - F Di Martino
- National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria pisana, U.O. Fisica Sanitaria, Pisa, Italy; Centro Pisano ricerca e implementazione clinical Flash Radiotherapy (CPFR-CISUP), Pisa, Italy
| | - S Linsalata
- Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria pisana, U.O. Fisica Sanitaria, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Massa
- National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - L Masturzo
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria pisana, U.O. Fisica Sanitaria, Pisa, Italy; Centro Pisano ricerca e implementazione clinical Flash Radiotherapy (CPFR-CISUP), Pisa, Italy; SIT Sordina IORT Technologies, Aprilia, Italy
| | - A Moggi
- National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Morrocchi
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - J H Pensavalle
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria pisana, U.O. Fisica Sanitaria, Pisa, Italy; Centro Pisano ricerca e implementazione clinical Flash Radiotherapy (CPFR-CISUP), Pisa, Italy; SIT Sordina IORT Technologies, Aprilia, Italy
| | - M G Bisogni
- University of Pisa, Department of Physics, Pisa, Italy; National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Centro Pisano ricerca e implementazione clinical Flash Radiotherapy (CPFR-CISUP), Pisa, Italy
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Garibaldi C, Beddar S, Bizzocchi N, Tobias Böhlen T, Iliaskou C, Moeckli R, Psoroulas S, Subiel A, Taylor PA, Van den Heuvel F, Vanreusel V, Verellen D. Minimum and optimal requirements for a safe clinical implementation of ultra-high dose rate radiotherapy: A focus on patient's safety and radiation protection. Radiother Oncol 2024; 196:110291. [PMID: 38648991 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2024.110291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Garibaldi
- IEO, Unit of Radiation Research, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.
| | - Sam Beddar
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nicola Bizzocchi
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Till Tobias Böhlen
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Charoula Iliaskou
- Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Freiburg, 79106, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Raphaël Moeckli
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Serena Psoroulas
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Anna Subiel
- National Physical Laboratory, Medical Radiation Science, Teddington, UK
| | - Paige A Taylor
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Frank Van den Heuvel
- Zuidwest Radiotherapeutisch Institute, Vlissingen, the Netherlands; Dept of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Verdi Vanreusel
- Iridium Netwerk, Antwerp University (Centre for Oncological Research, CORE), Antwerpen, Belgium; SCK CEN (Research in Dosimetric Applications), Mol, Belgium
| | - Dirk Verellen
- Iridium Netwerk, Antwerp University (Centre for Oncological Research, CORE), Antwerpen, Belgium
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Fleta C, Pellegrini G, Godignon P, Rodríguez FG, Paz-Martín J, Kranzer R, Schüller A. State-of-the-art silicon carbide diode dosimeters for ultra-high dose-per-pulse radiation at FLASH radiotherapy. Phys Med Biol 2024; 69:095013. [PMID: 38530300 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad37eb] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Objective.The successful implementation of FLASH radiotherapy in clinical settings, with typical dose rates >40 Gy s-1, requires accurate real-time dosimetry.Approach.Silicon carbide (SiC) p-n diode dosimeters designed for the stringent requirements of FLASH radiotherapy have been fabricated and characterized in an ultra-high pulse dose rate electron beam. The circular SiC PiN diodes were fabricated at IMB-CNM (CSIC) in 3μm epitaxial 4H-SiC. Their characterization was performed in PTB's ultra-high pulse dose rate reference electron beam. The SiC diode was operated without external bias voltage. The linearity of the diode response was investigated up to doses per pulse (DPP) of 11 Gy and pulse durations ranging from 3 to 0.5μs. Percentage depth dose measurements were performed in ultra-high dose per pulse conditions. The effect of the total accumulated dose of 20 MeV electrons in the SiC diode sensitivity was evaluated. The temperature dependence of the response of the SiC diode was measured in the range 19 °C-38 °C. The temporal response of the diode was compared to the time-resolved beam current during each electron beam pulse. A diamond prototype detector (flashDiamond) and Alanine measurements were used for reference dosimetry.Main results.The SiC diode response was independent both of DPP and of pulse dose rate up to at least 11 Gy per pulse and 4 MGy s-1, respectively, with tolerable deviation for relative dosimetry (<3%). When measuring the percentage depth dose under ultra-high dose rate conditions, the SiC diode performed comparably well to the reference flashDiamond. The sensitivity reduction after 100 kGy accumulated dose was <2%. The SiC diode was able to follow the temporal structure of the 20 MeV electron beam even for irregular pulse estructures. The measured temperature coefficient was (-0.079 ± 0.005)%/°C.Significance.The results of this study demonstrate for the first time the suitability of silicon carbide diodes for relative dosimetry in ultra-high dose rate pulsed electron beams up to a DPP of 11 Gy per pulse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Fleta
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giulio Pellegrini
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philippe Godignon
- Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Faustino Gómez Rodríguez
- Departamento de Física de Partículas, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Laboratorio de Radiofísica, RIAIDT, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - José Paz-Martín
- Departamento de Física de Partículas, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rafael Kranzer
- PTW-Freiburg (R&D), Freiburg 79115, Germany
- University Clinic for Medical Radiation Physics, Medical Campus Pius Hospital, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, 26121, Germany
| | - Andreas Schüller
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany
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Portier L, Daira P, Fourmaux B, Heinrich S, Becerra M, Fouillade C, Berthault N, Dutreix M, Londoño-Vallejo A, Verrelle P, Bernoud-Hubac N, Favaudon V. Differential Remodeling of the Oxylipin Pool After FLASH Versus Conventional Dose-Rate Irradiation In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024:S0360-3016(24)00281-5. [PMID: 38340776 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.01.210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The products of lipid peroxidation have been implicated in human diseases and aging. This prompted us to investigate the response to conventional (CONV) versus FLASH irradiation of oxylipins, a family of bioactive lipid metabolites derived from omega-3 or omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids through oxygen-dependent non-enzymatic as well as dioxygenase-mediated free radical reactions. METHODS AND MATERIALS Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantify the expression of 37 oxylipins derived from eicosatetraenoic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid in mouse lung and in normal or cancer cells exposed to either radiation modality under precise monitoring of the temperature and oxygenation. Among the 37 isomers assayed, 14-16 were present in high enough amount to enable quantitative analysis. The endpoints were the expression of oxylipins as a function of the dose of radiation, normoxia versus hypoxia, temperature and post-irradiation time. RESULTS In normal, normoxic cells at 37°C radiation elicited destruction and neosynthesis of oxylipins acting antagonistically on a background subject to rapid remodeling by oxygenases. Neosynthesis was observed in the CONV mode only, in such a way that the level of oxylipins at 5 minutes after FLASH irradiation was 20-50% lower than in non-irradiated and CONV-irradiated cells. Hypoxia mitigated the differential CONV versus FLASH response in some oxylipins. These patterns were not reproduced in tumor cells. Depression of specific oxylipins following FLASH irradiation was observed in mouse lung at 5 min following irradiation, with near complete recovery in 24 hours and further remodeling at one week and two months post-irradiation. CONCLUSIONS Down-regulation of oxylipins was a hallmark of FLASH irradiation specific of normal cells. Temperature effects suggest that this process occurs via diffusion-controlled, bimolecular recombination of a primary radical species upstream from peroxyl radical formation and evoke a major role of the membrane composition and fluidity in response to the FLASH modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Portier
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | - Patricia Daira
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, CNRS, LaMCoS, UMR 5259, Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Sophie Heinrich
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | - Margaux Becerra
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | - Charles Fouillade
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | - Nathalie Berthault
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | - Marie Dutreix
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | - Arturo Londoño-Vallejo
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | - Pierre Verrelle
- Institut Curie, Hospital Section, Department of Radiotherapy-Oncology, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris Cedex 05, France; Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1196-CNRS UMR 9187, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France
| | | | - Vincent Favaudon
- Institut Curie, Research Division, Inserm U 1021-CNRS UMR 3347, Paris-Saclay University, PSL Research University, Centre Universitaire CS 90030, Orsay, France.
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Spruijt K, Mossahebi S, Lin H, Lee E, Kraus J, Dhabaan A, Poulsen P, Lowe M, Ayan A, Spiessens S, Godart J, Hoogeman M. Multi-institutional consensus on machine QA for isochronous cyclotron-based systems delivering ultra-high dose rate (FLASH) pencil beam scanning proton therapy in transmission mode. Med Phys 2024; 51:786-798. [PMID: 38103260 DOI: 10.1002/mp.16854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first clinical trials to assess the feasibility of FLASH radiotherapy in humans have started (FAST-01, FAST-02) and more trials are foreseen. To increase comparability between trials it is important to assure treatment quality and therefore establish a standard for machine quality assurance (QA). Currently, the AAPM TG-224 report is considered as the standard on machine QA for proton therapy, however, it was not intended to be used for ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) proton beams, which have gained interest due to the observation of the FLASH effect. PURPOSE The aim of this study is to find consensus on practical guidelines on machine QA for UHDR proton beams in transmission mode in terms of which QA is required, how they should be done, which detectors are suitable for UHDR machine QA, and what tolerance limits should be applied. METHODS A risk assessment to determine the gaps in the current standard for machine QA was performed by an international group of medical physicists. Based on that, practical guidelines on how to perform machine QA for UHDR proton beams were proposed. RESULTS The risk assessment clearly identified the need for additional guidance on temporal dosimetry, addressing dose rate (constancy), dose spillage, and scanning speed. In addition, several minor changes from AAPM TG-224 were identified; define required dose rate levels, the use of clinically relevant dose levels, and the use of adapted beam settings to minimize activation of detector and phantom materials or to avoid saturation effects of specific detectors. The final report was created based on discussions and consensus. CONCLUSIONS Consensus was reached on what QA is required for UHDR scanning proton beams in transmission mode for isochronous cyclotron-based systems and how they should be performed. However, the group discussions also showed that there is a lack of high temporal resolution detectors and sufficient QA data to set appropriate limits for some of the proposed QA procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kees Spruijt
- HollandPTC, Delft, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiotherapy, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sina Mossahebi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Haibo Lin
- New York Proton Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eunsin Lee
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - James Kraus
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Anees Dhabaan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Per Poulsen
- Danish Center for Particle Therapy, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Matthew Lowe
- Christie Medical Physics and Engineering, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Ahmet Ayan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Sylvie Spiessens
- Varian, a Siemens Healthineers Company, Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium
| | - Jeremy Godart
- HollandPTC, Delft, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiotherapy, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mischa Hoogeman
- HollandPTC, Delft, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiotherapy, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Tessonnier T, Verona-Rinati G, Rank L, Kranzer R, Mairani A, Marinelli M. Diamond detectors for dose and instantaneous dose-rate measurements for ultra-high dose-rate scanned helium ion beams. Med Phys 2024; 51:1450-1459. [PMID: 37742343 PMCID: PMC10922163 DOI: 10.1002/mp.16757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The possible emergence of the FLASH effect-the sparing of normal tissue while maintaining tumor control-after irradiations at dose-rates exceeding several tens of Gy per second, has recently spurred a surge of studies attempting to characterize and rationalize the phenomenon. Investigating and reporting the dose and instantaneous dose-rate of ultra-high dose-rate (UHDR) particle radiotherapy beams is crucial for understanding and assessing the FLASH effect, towards pre-clinical application and quality assurance programs. PURPOSE The purpose of the present work is to investigate a novel diamond-based detector system for dose and instantaneous dose-rate measurements in UHDR particle beams. METHODS Two types of diamond detectors, a microDiamond (PTW 60019) and a diamond detector prototype specifically designed for operation in UHDR beams (flashDiamond), and two different readout electronic chains, were investigated for absorbed dose and instantaneous dose-rate measurements. The detectors were irradiated with a helium beam of 145.7 MeV/u under conventional and UHDR delivery. Dose-rate delivery records by the monitoring ionization chamber and diamond detectors were studied for single spot irradiations. Dose linearity at 5 cm depth and in-depth dose response from 2 to 16 cm were investigated for both measurement chains and both detectors in a water tank. Measurements with cylindrical and plane-parallel ionization chambers as well as Monte-Carlo simulations were performed for comparisons. RESULTS Diamond detectors allowed for recording the temporal structure of the beam, in good agreement with the one obtained by the monitoring ionization chamber. A better time resolution of the order of few μs was observed as compared to the approximately 50 μs of the monitoring ionization chamber. Both diamonds detectors show an excellent linearity response in both delivery modalities. Dose values derived by integrating the measured instantaneous dose-rates are in very good agreement with the ones obtained by the standard electrometer readings. Bragg peak curves confirmed the consistency of the charge measurements by the two systems. CONCLUSIONS The proposed novel dosimetric system allows for a detailed investigation of the temporal evolution of UHDR beams. As a result, reliable and accurate determinations of dose and instantaneous dose-rate are possible, both required for a comprehensive characterization of UHDR beams and relevant for FLASH effect assessment in clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Tessonnier
- Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Translational Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Core-Center Heidelberg, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Luisa Rank
- Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Rafael Kranzer
- PTW-Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- University Clinic for Medical Radiation Physics, Medical Campus Pius Hospital, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Andrea Mairani
- Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Translational Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Core-Center Heidelberg, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Medical Physics department, National Centre of Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO), Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Marinelli
- Industrial Engineering Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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Verona C, Barna S, Georg D, Hamad Y, Magrin G, Marinelli M, Meouchi C, Verona Rinati G. Diamond based integrated detection system for dosimetric and microdosimetric characterization of radiotherapy ion beams. Med Phys 2024; 51:533-544. [PMID: 37656015 DOI: 10.1002/mp.16698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ion beam therapy allows for a substantial sparing of normal tissues and higher biological efficacy. Synthetic single crystal diamond is a very good material to produce high-spatial-resolution and highly radiation hard detectors for both dosimetry and microdosimetry in ion beam therapy. PURPOSE The aim of this work is the design, fabrication and test of an integrated waterproof detector based on synthetic single crystal diamond able to simultaneously perform dosimetric and microdosimetric characterization of clinical ion beams. METHODS The active elements of the integrated diamond device, that is, dosimeter and microdosimeter, were both realized in a Schottky diode configuration featured by different area, thickness, and shape by means of photolithography technologies for the selective growth of intrinsic and boron-doped CVD diamond. The cross-section of the sensitive volume of the dosimetric element is 4 mm2 and 1 μm-thick, while the microdosimetric one has an active cross-sectional area of 100 × 100 μm2 and a thickness of about 6.2 μm. The dosimetric and microdosimetric performance of the developed device was assessed at different depths in a water phantom at the MedAustron ion beam therapy facility using a monoenergetic uniformly scanned carbon ion beam of 284.7 MeV/u and proton beam of 148.7 MeV. The particle flux in the region of the microdosimeter was 6·107 cm2 /s for both irradiation fields. At each depth, dose and dose distributions in lineal energy were measured simultaneously and the dose mean lineal energy values were then calculated. Monte Carlo simulations were also carried out by using the GATE-Geant4 code to evaluate the relative dose, dose averaged linear energy transfer (LETd ), and microdosimetric spectra at various depths in water for the radiation fields used, by considering the contribution from the secondary particles generated in the ion interaction processes as well. RESULTS Dosimetric and microdosimetric quantities were measured by the developed prototype with relatively low noise (∼2 keV/μm). A good agreement between the measured and simulated dose profiles was found, with discrepancies in the peak to plateau ratio of about 3% and 4% for proton and carbon ion beams respectively, showing a negligible LET dependence of the dosimetric element of the device. The microdosimetric spectra were validated with Monte Carlo simulations and a good agreement between the spectra shapes and positions was found. Dose mean lineal energy values were found to be in close agreement with those reported in the literature for clinical ion beams, showing a sharp increase along the Bragg curve, being also consistent with the calculated LETd for all depths within the experimental error of 10%. CONCLUSIONS The experimental indicate that the proposed device can allow enhanced dosimetry in particle therapy centers, where the absorbed dose measurement is implemented by the microdosimetric characterization of the radiation field, thus providing complementary results. In addition, the proposed device allows for the reduction of the experimental uncertainties associated with detector positioning and could facilitate the partial overcoming of some drawbacks related to the low sensitivity of diamond microdosimeters to low LET radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Verona
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Sez. INFN-Roma2, Roma, Italia, Italy
| | - Sandra Barna
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dietmar Georg
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- MedAustron Ion Therapy Center, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
| | - Yasmin Hamad
- MedAustron Ion Therapy Center, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
| | - Giulio Magrin
- MedAustron Ion Therapy Center, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
| | - Marco Marinelli
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Sez. INFN-Roma2, Roma, Italia, Italy
| | - Cynthia Meouchi
- Institute of Atomic and Subatomic Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gianluca Verona Rinati
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Sez. INFN-Roma2, Roma, Italia, Italy
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Pettinato S, Felici G, Galluzzo L, Rossi MC, Girolami M, Salvatori S. A readout system for highly sensitive diamond detectors for FLASH dosimetry. Phys Imaging Radiat Oncol 2024; 29:100538. [PMID: 38317851 PMCID: PMC10839766 DOI: 10.1016/j.phro.2024.100538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurate dosimetry of ultra-high dose-rate beams using diamond detectors remains challenging, primarily due to the elevated photocurrent peaks exceeding the input dynamics of precision electrometers. This work aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of compact gated-integration electronics in conditioning the current peaks (>20 mA) generated by a highly sensitive (S ≃ 26 nC/Gy) custom-made diamond photoconductor under electron FLASH irradiation, as well as in real-time monitoring of beam dose and dose-rate. For the emerging FLASH technology, this study provided a new perspective on using commercially available diamond dosimeters with high sensitivity, currently employed in conventional radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pettinato
- Dept. of Engineering, Niccolò Cusano University, via don Carlo Gnocchi 3, 00166 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Felici
- SIT – Sordina IORT Technologies S.p.A., Aprilia, Latina, Italy
| | | | - Maria Cristina Rossi
- Dept. of Industrial, Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Girolami
- Istituto di Struttura della Materia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISM–CNR), Sede Secondaria di Montelibretti, Strada Provinciale 35/D n. 9, 00010 Montelibretti, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Salvatori
- Dept. of Engineering, Niccolò Cusano University, via don Carlo Gnocchi 3, 00166 Rome, Italy
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9
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No HJ, Wu YF, Dworkin ML, Manjappa R, Skinner L, Ashraf MR, Lau B, Melemenidis S, Viswanathan V, Yu ASJ, Surucu M, Schüler E, Graves EE, Maxim PG, Loo BW. Clinical Linear Accelerator-Based Electron FLASH: Pathway for Practical Translation to FLASH Clinical Trials. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2023; 117:482-492. [PMID: 37105403 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Ultrahigh-dose-rate (UHDR) radiation therapy (RT) has produced the FLASH effect in preclinical models: reduced toxicity with comparable tumor control compared with conventional-dose-rate RT. Early clinical trials focused on UHDR RT feasibility using specialized devices. We explore the technical feasibility of practical electron UHDR RT on a standard clinical linear accelerator (LINAC). METHODS AND MATERIALS We tuned the program board of a decommissioned electron energy for UHDR electron delivery on a clinical LINAC without hardware modification. Pulse delivery was controlled using the respiratory gating interface. A short source-to-surface distance (SSD) electron setup with a standard scattering foil was configured and tested on an anthropomorphic phantom using circular blocks with 3- to 20-cm field sizes. Dosimetry was evaluated using radiochromic film and an ion chamber profiler. RESULTS UHDR open-field mean dose rates at 100, 80, 70, and 59 cm SSD were 36.82, 59.52, 82.01, and 112.83 Gy/s, respectively. At 80 cm SSD, mean dose rate was ∼60 Gy/s for all collimated field sizes, with an R80 depth of 6.1 cm corresponding to an energy of 17.5 MeV. Heterogeneity was <5.0% with asymmetry of 2.2% to 6.2%. The short SSD setup was feasible under realistic treatment conditions simulating broad clinical indications on an anthropomorphic phantom. CONCLUSIONS Short SSD and tuning for high electron beam current on a standard clinical LINAC can deliver flat, homogenous UHDR electrons over a broad, clinically relevant range of field sizes and depths with practical working distances in a configuration easily reversible to standard clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsoo Joshua No
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Yufan Fred Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Michael Louis Dworkin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Rakesh Manjappa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Lawrie Skinner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - M Ramish Ashraf
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Brianna Lau
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Stavros Melemenidis
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Vignesh Viswanathan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Amy Shu-Jung Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Murat Surucu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Emil Schüler
- Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Edward Elliot Graves
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Peter Gregor Maxim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California
| | - Billy W Loo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
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10
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Vanreusel V, Gasparini A, Galante F, Mariani G, Pacitti M, Colijn A, Reniers B, Yalvac B, Vandenbroucke D, Peeters M, Leblans P, Felici G, Verellen D, de Freitas Nascimento L. Optically stimulated luminescence system as an alternative for radiochromic film for 2D reference dosimetry in UHDR electron beams. Phys Med 2023; 114:103147. [PMID: 37804712 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2023.103147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is part of the treatment of over 50% of cancer patients. Its efficacy is limited by the radiotoxicity to the healthy tissue. FLASH-RT is based on the biological effect that ultra-high dose rates (UHDR) and very short treatment times strongly reduce normal tissue toxicity, while preserving the anti-tumoral effect. Despite many positive preclinical results, the translation of FLASH-RT to the clinic is hampered by the lack of accurate dosimetry for UHDR beams. To date radiochromic film is commonly used for dose assessment but has the drawback of lengthy and cumbersome read out procedures. In this work, we investigate the equivalence of a 2D OSL system to radiochromic film dosimetry in terms of dose rate independency. The comparison of both systems was done using the ElectronFlash linac. We investigated the dose rate dependence by variation of the (1) modality, (2) pulse repetition frequency, (3) pulse length and (4) source to surface distance. Additionally, we compared the 2D characteristics by field size measurements. The OSL calibration showed transferable between conventional and UHDR modality. Both systems are equally independent of average dose rate, pulse length and instantaneous dose rate. The OSL system showed equivalent in field size determination within 3 sigma. We show the promising nature of the 2D OSL system to serve as alternative for radiochromic film in UHDR electron beams. However, more in depth characterization is needed to assess its full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verdi Vanreusel
- Research in Dosimetric Applications, SCK CEN, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; CORE, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Iridium Netwerk, Oosterveldlaan 22, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Alessia Gasparini
- CORE, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Iridium Netwerk, Oosterveldlaan 22, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Federica Galante
- Sordina IORT Technologies S.p.A., Via dell'Industria, 1/A, 04011 Aprilia, Latina, Italy
| | - Giulia Mariani
- Sordina IORT Technologies S.p.A., Via dell'Industria, 1/A, 04011 Aprilia, Latina, Italy
| | - Matteo Pacitti
- Sordina IORT Technologies S.p.A., Via dell'Industria, 1/A, 04011 Aprilia, Latina, Italy
| | - Arnaud Colijn
- CORE, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Reniers
- NuTeC, CMK, Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 27, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Burak Yalvac
- NuTeC, CMK, Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 27, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | | | | | - Paul Leblans
- Agfa N.V., Septestraat 27, 2640 Mortsel, Belgium
| | - Giuseppe Felici
- Sordina IORT Technologies S.p.A., Via dell'Industria, 1/A, 04011 Aprilia, Latina, Italy
| | - Dirk Verellen
- CORE, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Iridium Netwerk, Oosterveldlaan 22, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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11
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Marinelli M, di Martino F, Del Sarto D, Pensavalle JH, Felici G, Giunti L, De Liso V, Kranzer R, Verona C, Verona Rinati G. A diamond detector based dosimetric system for instantaneous dose rate measurements in FLASH electron beams. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68:175011. [PMID: 37494946 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/acead0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Objective.A reliable determination of the instantaneous dose rate (I-DR) delivered in FLASH radiotherapy treatments is believed to be crucial to assess the so-called FLASH effect in preclinical and biological studies. At present, no detectors nor real-time procedures are available to do that in ultra high dose rate (UH-DR) electron beams, typically consisting ofμs pulses characterized by I-DRs of the order of MGy/s. A dosimetric system is proposed possibly overcoming the above reported limitation, based on the recently developed flashDiamond (fD) detector (model 60025, PTW-Freiburg, Germany).Approach.A dosimetric system is proposed, based on a flashDiamond detector prototype, properly modified and adapted for very fast signal transmission. It was used in combination with a fast transimpedance amplifier and a digital oscilloscope to record the temporal traces of the pulses delivered by an ElectronFlash linac (SIT S.p.A., Italy). The proposed dosimetric systems was investigated in terms of the temporal characteristics of its response and the capability to measure the absolute delivered dose and instantaneous dose rate (I-DR). A 'standard' flashDiamond was also investigated and its response compared with the one of the specifically designed prototype.Main results. Temporal traces recorded in several UH-DR irradiation conditions showed very good signal to noise ratios and rise and decay times of the order of a few tens ns, faster than the ones obtained by the current transformer embedded in the linac head. By analyzing such signals, a calibration coefficient was derived for the fD prototype and found to be in agreement within 1% with the one obtained under reference60Co irradiation. I-DRs as high as about 2 MGy s-1were detected without any undesired saturation effect. Absolute dose per pulse values extracted by integrating the I-DR signals were found to be linear up to at least 7.13 Gy and in very good agreement with the ones obtained by connecting the fD to a UNIDOS electrometer (PTW-Freiburg, Germany). A good short term reproducibility of the linac output was observed, characterized by a pulse-to-pulse variation coefficient of 0.9%. Negligible differences were observed when replacing the fD prototype with a standard one, with the only exception of a somewhat slower response time for the latter detector type.Significance.The proposed fD-based system was demonstrated to be a suitable tool for a thorough characterization of UH-DR beams, providing accurate and reliable time resolved I-DR measurements from which absolute dose values can be straightforwardly derived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Marinelli
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
| | - Fabio di Martino
- U.O.Fisica Sanitaria, Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Damiano Del Sarto
- U.O.Fisica Sanitaria, Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Rafael Kranzer
- PTW-Freiburg, Freiburg D-79115, Germany
- University Clinic for Medical Radiation Physics, Medical Campus Pius Hospital, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, D-26121 Germany
| | - Claudio Verona
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
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12
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Siddique S, Ruda HE, Chow JCL. FLASH Radiotherapy and the Use of Radiation Dosimeters. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3883. [PMID: 37568699 PMCID: PMC10417829 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) using ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) radiation, known as FLASH RT, has shown promising results in reducing normal tissue toxicity while maintaining tumor control. However, implementing FLASH RT in clinical settings presents technical challenges, including limited depth penetration and complex treatment planning. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is a valuable tool for dose calculation in RT and has been investigated for optimizing FLASH RT. Various MC codes, such as EGSnrc, DOSXYZnrc, and Geant4, have been used to simulate dose distributions and optimize treatment plans. Accurate dosimetry is essential for FLASH RT, and radiation detectors play a crucial role in measuring dose delivery. Solid-state detectors, including diamond detectors such as microDiamond, have demonstrated linear responses and good agreement with reference detectors in UHDR and ultra-high dose per pulse (UHDPP) ranges. Ionization chambers are commonly used for dose measurement, and advancements have been made to address their response nonlinearities at UHDPP. Studies have proposed new calculation methods and empirical models for ion recombination in ionization chambers to improve their accuracy in FLASH RT. Additionally, strip-segmented ionization chamber arrays have shown potential for the experimental measurement of dose rate distribution in proton pencil beam scanning. Radiochromic films, such as GafchromicTM EBT3, have been used for absolute dose measurement and to validate MC simulation results in high-energy X-rays, triggering the FLASH effect. These films have been utilized to characterize ionization chambers and measure off-axis and depth dose distributions in FLASH RT. In conclusion, MC simulation provides accurate dose calculation and optimization for FLASH RT, while radiation detectors, including diamond detectors, ionization chambers, and radiochromic films, offer valuable tools for dosimetry in UHDR environments. Further research is needed to refine treatment planning techniques and improve detector performance to facilitate the widespread implementation of FLASH RT, potentially revolutionizing cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarkar Siddique
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada;
| | - Harry E. Ruda
- Centre of Advance Nanotechnology, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E4, Canada;
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E4, Canada
| | - James C. L. Chow
- Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1X6, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1P5, Canada
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13
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Togno M, Nesteruk KP, Schäfer R, Psoroulas S, Meer D, Grossmann M, Christensen JB, Yukihara EG, Lomax AJ, Weber DC, Safai S. Ultra-high dose rate dosimetry for pre-clinical experiments with mm-small proton fields. Phys Med 2022; 104:101-111. [PMID: 36395638 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2022.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize an experimental setup for ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) proton irradiations, and to address the challenges of dosimetry in millimetre-small pencil proton beams. METHODS At the PSI Gantry 1, high-energy transmission pencil beams can be delivered to biological samples and detectors up to a maximum local dose rate of ∼9000 Gy/s. In the presented setup, a Faraday cup is used to measure the delivered number of protons up to ultra-high dose rates. The response of transmission ion-chambers, as well as of different field detectors, was characterized over a wide range of dose rates using the Faraday cup as reference. RESULTS The reproducibility of the delivered proton charge was better than 1 % in the proposed experimental setup. EBT3 films, Al2O3:C optically stimulated luminescence detectors and a PTW microDiamond were used to validate the predicted dose. Transmission ionization chambers showed significant volume ion-recombination (>30 % in the tested conditions) which can be parametrized as a function of the maximum proton current density. Over the considered range, EBT3 films, inorganic scintillator-based screens and the PTW microDiamond were demonstrated to be dose rate independent within ±3 %, ±1.8 % and ±1 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Faraday cups are versatile dosimetry instruments that can be used for dose estimation, field detector characterization and on-line dose verification for pre-clinical experiments in UHDR proton pencil beams. Among the tested detectors, the commercial PTW microDiamond was found to be a suitable option to measure real time the dosimetric properties of narrow pencil proton beams for dose rates up to 2.2 kGy/s.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Togno
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland.
| | - K P Nesteruk
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - R Schäfer
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - S Psoroulas
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - D Meer
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - M Grossmann
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - J B Christensen
- Department of Radiation Safety and Security, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - E G Yukihara
- Department of Radiation Safety and Security, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - A J Lomax
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland; Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - D C Weber
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland; Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Radiation Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - S Safai
- Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
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14
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Paz-martín J, Schüller A, Bourgouin A, González-castaño DM, Gómez-fernández N, Pardo-montero J, Gómez F. Numerical modeling of air-vented parallel plate ionization chambers for ultra-high dose rate applications. Phys Med 2022; 103:147-156. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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15
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Di Martino F, Del Sarto D, Barone S, Giuseppina Bisogni M, Capaccioli S, Galante F, Gasparini A, Mariani G, Masturzo L, Montefiori M, Pacitti M, Paiar F, Harold Pensavalle J, Romano F, Ursino S, Vanreusel V, Verellen D, Felici G. A new calculation method for the free electron fraction of an ionization chamber in the ultra-high-dose-per-pulse regimen. Phys Med 2022; 103:175-180. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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16
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Vanreusel V, Gasparini A, Galante F, Mariani G, Pacitti M, Cociorb M, Giammanco A, Reniers B, Reulens N, Shonde TB, Vallet H, Vandenbroucke D, Peeters M, Leblans P, Ma B, Felici G, Verellen D, de Freitas Nascimento L. Point scintillator dosimetry in ultra-high dose rate electron “FLASH” radiation therapy: A first characterization. Phys Med 2022; 103:127-137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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17
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Rinati GV, Felici G, Galante F, Gasparini A, Kranzer R, Mariani G, Pacitti M, Prestopino G, Schüller A, Vanreusel V, Verellen D, Verona C, Marinelli M. Application of a novel diamond detector for commissioning of FLASH radiotherapy electron beams. Med Phys 2022; 49:5513-5522. [PMID: 35652248 PMCID: PMC9543846 DOI: 10.1002/mp.15782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose A diamond detector prototype was recently proposed by Marinelli et al. (Medical Physics 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/mp.15473) for applications in ultrahigh‐dose‐per‐pulse (UH‐DPP) and ultrahigh‐dose‐rate (UH‐DR) beams, as used in FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH‐RT). In the present study, such so‐called flashDiamond (fD) was investigated from the dosimetric point of view, under pulsed electron beam irradiation. It was then used for the commissioning of an ElectronFlash linac (SIT S.p.A., Italy) both in conventional and UH‐DPP modalities. Methods Detector calibration was performed in reference conditions, under 60Co and electron beam irradiation. Its response linearity was investigated in UH‐DPP conditions. For this purpose, the DPP was varied in the 1.2–11.9 Gy range, by changing either the beam applicator or the pulse duration from 1 to 4 μs. Dosimetric validation of the fD detector prototype was then performed in conventional modality, by measuring percentage depth dose (PDD) curves, beam profiles, and output factors (OFs). All such measurements were carried out in a motorized water phantom. The obtained results were compared with the ones from commercially available dosimeters, namely, a microDiamond, an Advanced Markus ionization chamber, a silicon diode detector, and EBT‐XD GAFchromic films. Finally, the fD detector was used to fully characterize the 7 and 9 MeV UH‐DPP electron beams delivered by the ElectronFlash linac. In particular, PDDs, beam profiles, and OFs were measured, for both energies and all the applicators, and compared with the ones from EBT‐XD films irradiated in the same experimental conditions. Results The fD calibration coefficient resulted to be independent from the investigated beam qualities. The detector response was found to be linear in the whole investigated DPP range. A very good agreement was observed among PDDs, beam profiles, and OFs measured by the fD prototype and reference detectors, both in conventional and UH‐DPP irradiation modalities. Conclusions The fD detector prototype was validated from the dosimetric point of view against several commercial dosimeters in conventional beams. It was proved to be suitable in UH‐DPP and UH‐DR conditions, for which no other commercial real‐time active detector is available to date. It was shown to be a very useful tool to perform fast and reproducible beam characterizations in standard clinical motorized water phantom setups. All of the previously mentioned demonstrate the suitability of the proposed detector for the commissioning of UH‐DR linac beams for preclinical FLASH‐RT applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Verona Rinati
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata,", Roma, 00133, Italy
| | | | | | - Alessia Gasparini
- Iridium Kankernetwerk, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium.,Antwerp University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
| | - Rafael Kranzer
- PTW-Freiburg, Freiburg, 79115, Germany.,University Clinic for Medical Radiation Physics, Medical Campus Pius Hospital, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, 26121, Germany
| | | | | | - Giuseppe Prestopino
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata,", Roma, 00133, Italy
| | - Andreas Schüller
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig, 38116, Germany
| | - Verdi Vanreusel
- Iridium Kankernetwerk, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium.,Antwerp University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
| | - Dirk Verellen
- Iridium Kankernetwerk, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium.,Antwerp University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
| | - Claudio Verona
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata,", Roma, 00133, Italy
| | - Marco Marinelli
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata,", Roma, 00133, Italy
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18
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Rodríguez FG, Gonzalez-Castaño DM, Fernández NG, Pardo-Montero J, Schüller A, Gasparini A, Vanreusel V, Verellen D, Felici G, Kranzer R, Paz-Martín J. Development of an ultra-thin parallel plate ionization chamber for dosimetry in flash radiotherapy. Med Phys 2022; 49:4705-4714. [PMID: 35416306 PMCID: PMC9545838 DOI: 10.1002/mp.15668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Conventional air ionization chambers (ICs) exhibit ion recombination correction factors that deviate substantially from unity when irradiated with dose per pulse magnitudes higher than those used in conventional radiotherapy. This fact makes these devices unsuitable for the dosimetric characterization of beams in ultra‐high dose per pulse as used for FLASH radiotherapy. Purpose We present the design, development, and characterization of an ultra‐thin parallel plate IC that can be used in ultra‐high dose rate (UHDR) deliveries with minimal recombination. Methods The charge collection efficiency (CCE) of parallel plate ICs was modeled through a numerical solution of the coupled differential equations governing the transport of charged carriers produced by ionizing radiation. It was used to find out the optimal parameters for the purpose of designing an IC capable of exhibiting a linear response with dose (deviation less than 1%) up to 10 Gy per pulse at 4
μs pulse duration. As a proof of concept, two vented parallel plate IC prototypes have been built and tested in different ultra‐high pulse dose rate electron beams. Results It has been found that by reducing the distance between electrodes to a value of 0.25 mm it is possible to extend the dose rate operating range of parallel plate ICs to ultra‐high dose per pulse range, at standard voltage of clinical grade electrometers, well into several Gy per pulse. The two IC prototypes exhibit behavior as predicted by the numerical simulation. One of the so‐called ultra‐thin parallel plate ionization chamber (UTIC) prototypes was able to measure up to 10 Gy per pulse, 4
μs pulse duration, operated at 300 V with no significant deviation from linearity within the uncertainties (ElectronFlash Linac, SIT). The other prototype was tested up to 5.4 Gy per pulse, 2.5
μs pulse duration, operated at 250 V with CCE higher than 98.6% (Metrological Electron Accelerator Facility, MELAF at Physikalisch‐Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB). Conclusions This work demonstrates the ability to extend the dose rate operating range of ICs to ultra‐high dose per pulse range by reducing the spacing between electrodes. The results show that UTICs are suitable for measurement in UHDR electron beams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faustino Gómez Rodríguez
- Department of Particle Physics, University of Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Radiation Physics Laboratory, University of Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | | | - Juan Pardo-Montero
- Group of Medical Physics and Biomathematics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Department of Medical Physics, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Andreas Schüller
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Alessia Gasparini
- Department of Radiotherapy, Iridium Network, Belgium.,Faculty of Medicine and Health sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium.,SCK CEN, Research in dosimetric applications, Mol, Belgium
| | - Verdi Vanreusel
- Department of Radiotherapy, Iridium Network, Belgium.,Faculty of Medicine and Health sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium.,SCK CEN, Research in dosimetric applications, Mol, Belgium
| | - Dirk Verellen
- Department of Radiotherapy, Iridium Network, Belgium.,Faculty of Medicine and Health sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Rafael Kranzer
- PTW, Freiburg, Germany.,University Clinic for Medical Radiation Physics, Medical Campus Pius Hospital, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jose Paz-Martín
- Department of Particle Physics, University of Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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