Gabriela Mierzwińska

Technical Note: Improving proton stopping power ratio determination for a deformable silicone‐based 3D dosimeter using dual energy CT

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate whether the stopping power ratio (SPR) of a deformable, silicone-based 3D dosimeter could be determined more accurately using dual energy (DE) CT compared to using conventional methods based on single energy (SE) CT. The use of SECT combined with the stoichiometric calibration method was therefore compared to DECT-based determination. METHODS The SPR of the dosimeter was estimated based on its Hounsfield units (HUs) in both a SECT image and a DECT image set. The stoichiometric calibration method was used for converting the HU in the SECT image to a SPR value for the dosimeter while two published SPR calibration methods for dual energy were applied on the DECT images. Finally, the SPR of the dosimeter was measured in a 60 MeV proton by quantifying the range difference with and without the dosimeter in the beam path. RESULTS The SPR determined from SECT and the stoichiometric method was 1.10, compared to 1.01 with both DECT calibration methods. The measured SPR for the dosimeter material was 0.97. CONCLUSIONS The SPR of the dosimeter was overestimated by 13% using the stoichiometric method and by 3% when using DECT. If the stoichiometric method should be applied for the dosimeter, the HU of the dosimeter must be manually changed in the treatment planning system in order to give a correct SPR estimate. Using a wrong SPR value will cause differences between the calculated and the delivered treatment plans.

Chemically tuned linear energy transfer dependent quenching in a deformable, radiochromic 3D dosimeter

Most solid-state detectors, including 3D dosimeters, show lower signal in the Bragg peak than expected, a process termed quenching. The purpose of this study was to investigate how variation in chemical composition of a recently developed radiochromic, silicone-based 3D dosimeter influences the observed quenching in proton beams. The dependency of dose response on linear energy transfer, as calculated through Monte Carlo simulations of the dosimeter, was investigated in 60 MeV proton beams. We found that the amount of quenching varied with the chemical composition: peak-to-plateau ratios (1 cm into the plateau) ranged from 2.2 to 3.4, compared to 4.3 using an ionization chamber. The dose response, and thereby the quenching, was predominantly influenced by the curing agent concentration, which determined the dosimeters deformation properties. The dose response was found to be linear at all depths. All chemical compositions of the dosimeter showed dose-rate dependency; however this was not dependent on the linear energy transfer. Track-structure theory was used to explain the observed quenching effects. In conclusion, this study shows that the silicone-based dosimeter has potential for use in measuring 3D-dose-distributions from proton beams.

PO-0794: First proton irradiation experiments with a deformable radiochromic 3D dosimeter

S373 ________________________________________________________________________________ Iopromide and gadolinium sulfate solutions were introduced into standard Fricke dosimeter solution for final concentrations of iodine from 2.5 mg I/ml to 50 mg I/ml and gadolinium from 5 mg Gd/ml to 10 mg Gd/ml. Detection of iron (III) ions was performed with spectrophotometer Varian Cary 50. For measurement of iron (III) ions concentration in the presence of iopromide ammonium tiocianate (Panreac) was used as an indicator because optical spectrum of iopromide interfere with optical spectrum of iron (III) ions. Irradiation of Fricke solutions was performed with 110 kVp Xrays through 3.5 mm Al filter at 0.7 Gy/min dose rate.

Application of alanine dosimetry in dose assessment for ocular melanoma patients undergoing proton radiotherapy – preliminary results

Abstract Basing on alanine solid state/electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimetry, a supplementary method of cumulatively recording the therapeutic dose received by ocular cancer patients undergoing fractionated proton radiotherapy is proposed. By applying alanine dosimetry during the delivery of consecutive fractions, the dose received within each fraction can be read out by EPR spectrometry and a final permanent cumulative record of the total dose delivered obtained. The dose response of the alanine detector was found to be practically independent on its position within the extended proton Bragg peak region. Dose measurements based on entrance dose recorded in proton beams individually formed for each patient are presented. The described method will be applied as a complementary Quality Assurance procedure for patients undergoing proton radiotherapy at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland (IFJ PAN).

Studies of scintillator response to 60 MeV protons in a proton beam imaging system

Abstract A Proton Beam Imaging System (ProBImS) is under development at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN). The ProBImS will be used to optimize beam delivery at IFJ PAN proton therapy facilities, delivering two-dimensional distributions of beam profiles. The system consists of a scintillator, optical tract and a sensitive CCD camera which digitally records the light emitted from the proton-irradiated scintillator. The optical system, imaging data transfer and control software have already been developed. Here, we report preliminary results of an evaluation of the DuPont Hi-speed thick back screen EJ 000128 scintillator to determine its applicability in our imaging system. In order to optimize the light conversion with respect to the dose locally deposited by the proton beam in the scintillation detector, we have studied the response of the DuPont scintillator in terms of linearity of dose response, uniformity of light emission and decay rate of background light after deposition of a high dose in the scintillator. We found a linear dependence of scintillator light output vs. beam intensity by showing the intensity of the recorded images to be proportional to the dose deposited in the scintillator volume.

Applicability of EPR/alanine dosimetry for quality assurance in proton eye radiotherapy

A new quality assurance and quality control method for proton eye radiotherapy based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)/alanine dosimetry has been developed. It is based on Spread-Out Bragg Peak entrance dose measurement with alanine detectors. The entrance dose is well correlated with the dose at the facility isocenter, where, during the therapeutic irradiation, the tumour is placed. The unique alanine detector features namely keeping the dose record in a form of stable radiation-induced free radicals trapped in the material structure, and the non-destructive read-out makes this type of detector a good candidate for additional documentation of the patients exposure over the therapy course.