Christian Richter1, Guntram Pausch2, Steffen Barczyk3, Marlen Priegnitz4, Isabell Keitz5, Julia Thiele6, Julien Smeets7, Francois Vander Stappen7, Luca Bombelli8, Carlo Fiorini9, Lucian Hotoiu7, Irene Perali9, Damien Prieels7, Wolfgang Enghardt10, Michael Baumann10. 1. OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Dresden, Germany. Electronic address: christian.richter@oncoray.de. 2. OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany. 3. OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. 4. Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany. 5. OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany. 6. Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. 7. Ion Beam Applications SA, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. 8. XGLab S.R.L., Milano, Italy. 9. Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Italy. 10. OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Dresden, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To improve precision of particle therapy, in vivo range verification is highly desirable. Methods based on prompt gamma rays emitted during treatment seem promising but have not yet been applied clinically. Here we report on the worldwide first clinical application of prompt gamma imaging (PGI) based range verification. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prototype of a knife-edge shaped slit camera was used to measure the prompt gamma ray depth distribution during a proton treatment of a head and neck tumor for seven consecutive fractions. Inter-fractional variations of the prompt gamma profile were evaluated. For three fractions, in-room control CTs were acquired and evaluated for dose relevant changes. RESULTS: The measurement of PGI profiles during proton treatment was successful. Based on the PGI information, inter-fractional global range variations were in the range of ±2 mm for all evaluated fractions. This is in agreement with the control CT evaluation showing negligible range variations of about 1.5mm. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, range verification based on prompt gamma imaging was applied for a clinical proton treatment. With the translation from basic physics experiments into clinical operation, the potential to improve the precision of particle therapy with this technique has increased considerably.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To improve precision of particle therapy, in vivo range verification is highly desirable. Methods based on prompt gamma rays emitted during treatment seem promising but have not yet been applied clinically. Here we report on the worldwide first clinical application of prompt gamma imaging (PGI) based range verification. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prototype of a knife-edge shaped slit camera was used to measure the prompt gamma ray depth distribution during a proton treatment of a head and neck tumor for seven consecutive fractions. Inter-fractional variations of the prompt gamma profile were evaluated. For three fractions, in-room control CTs were acquired and evaluated for dose relevant changes. RESULTS: The measurement of PGI profiles during proton treatment was successful. Based on the PGI information, inter-fractional global range variations were in the range of ±2 mm for all evaluated fractions. This is in agreement with the control CT evaluation showing negligible range variations of about 1.5mm. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, range verification based on prompt gamma imaging was applied for a clinical proton treatment. With the translation from basic physics experiments into clinical operation, the potential to improve the precision of particle therapy with this technique has increased considerably.
Authors: Wei Nie; Kevin C Jones; Scott Petro; Alireza Kassaee; Chandra M Sehgal; Stephen Avery Journal: Phys Med Biol Date: 2018-01-17 Impact factor: 3.609
Authors: Fernando Hueso-González; Moritz Rabe; Thomas A Ruggieri; Thomas Bortfeld; Joost M Verburg Journal: Phys Med Biol Date: 2018-09-17 Impact factor: 3.609
Authors: David R Grosshans; Radhe Mohan; Vinai Gondi; Helen A Shih; Anita Mahajan; Paul D Brown Journal: Neuro Oncol Date: 2017-04-01 Impact factor: 12.300