Differential cross-sections measurements for hadrontherapy: 50 MeV/A¹²C reactions on H, C, O, Al and^natTi targets

Abstract

Abstract. In order to keep the benefits of a carbon treatment, the dose and biological effects induced by secondary fragments must be taken into account when simulating the treatment plan. These Monte-Carlo simulations codes are done using nuclear models that are constrained by experimental data. It is hence necessary to have precise measurements of the production rates of these fragments all along the beam path and for its whole energy range. In this context, a series of experiments aiming to measure the double differential fragmentation cross-sections of carbon on thin targets of medical interest has been started by our collaboration. In March 2015, an experiment was performed with a 50 MeV/nucleon 12 C beam at GANIL. During this experiment, energy and angular differential cross-section distributions on H, C, O, Al and nat Ti have been measured. In the following, the experimental set-up and analysis process are briefly described and some experimental results are presented. Comparisons between several exit channel models from PHITS and GEANT4 show great discrepancies with the experimental data. Finally, the homemade SLIIPIE model is briefly presented and preliminary results are compared to the data with a promising outcome.

Timing performances of a Time-Of-Flight detection system for the FRACAS large acceptance mass spectrometer

“…Even though nuclear fragmentation models are included in some Monte Carlo based Treatment Planning Systems (TPS), they still lack sufficient cross section data to accurately reproduce the correct mixed radiation field [1]. Carbon fragmentation cross section experiments have already been conducted to this end by several groups [2][3][4][5], but those were focused on a lower energy range from 50 to 95 MeV/nucleon. Considering that a carbon therapy treatment can require a beam energy up to 400 MeV/nucleon, fragmentation cross sections up to these energies are of the utmost importance.…”