The European Joint Research Project UHDpulse – Metrology for advanced radiotherapy using particle beams with ultra-high pulse dose rates

Schüller, A.; Heinrich, Sophie; Fouillade, Charles; Subiel, Anna; Marzi, Ludovic De; Romano, F.; Peier, Peter; Trachsel, Maria Angela; Fleta, C.; Kranzer, Rafael; Caresana, M.; Salvador, S.; Busold, S.; Schönfeld, A.A.; McEwen, M; Gómez, F.; Šolc, J.; Bailat, Claude; Linhart, V.; Jakůbek, J.; Pawelke, Jörg; Borghesi, M.; Kapsch, Ralf‐Peter; Knyziak, A.; Boso, A.; Olšovcová, Veronika; Kottler, Christian; Poppinga, Daniela; Ambrožová, Iva; Schmitzer, C.; Rossomme, Séverine; Vozenin, Marie‐Catherine

doi:10.1016/j.ejmp.2020.09.020

Cited by 95 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 150 publications

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“…For conventional clinical beams, since the 2000s, a protocol for proton/ion dose measurement has been established where ionization chambers and calorimeters are defined as the absolute reference dosimeters [55]. In contrast, novel features of laser-driven protons such as ultra-high doserate, short pulse duration, as well as the presence of large electromagnetic pulses [56] generated by the laser-target interaction, require the development of new approaches and protocols for dose measurements [57].…”

Section: Diagnostics and Dosimetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the attempt to further reduce dose uncertainties with laserdriven protons, an alternative approach employing graphite calorimeters as absolute dosimeters for laser-driven protons is under investigation at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the framework of the European-Joint Research Project "UHDPulse" [57], aimed at establishing protocols and procedures for the dosimetry of ultra-high-pulse electron and proton beams [57,64]. The measurement of the temperature increase in the calorimeter core upon irradiation is a direct measurement of the energy and dose deposited [65].…”

Section: Diagnostics and Dosimetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other approaches based on modified ionization chambers, such as the DOSION beam monitoring equipment [71], have been applied successfully in FLASH regimes [57], and may have scope for application with laser-driven sources. Several real-time approaches employing volumetric scintillation detectors [72], fibre optic dosimeters [73,74], radioluminescence and Cherenkov emission based dosimeters have also been used for conventional dose rate proton beams as well as FLASH protons.…”

Section: Diagnostics and Dosimetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Radiobiology Experiments With Ultra-high Dose Rate Laser-Driven Protons: Methodology and State-of-the-Art

Chaudhary¹,

Milluzzo

Ahmed

et al. 2021

Front. Phys.

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The use of particle accelerators in radiotherapy has significantly changed the therapeutic outcomes for many types of solid tumours. In particular, protons are well known for sparing normal tissues and increasing the overall therapeutic index. Recent studies show that normal tissue sparing can be further enhanced through proton delivery at 100 Gy/s and above, in the so-called FLASH regime. This has generated very significant interest in assessing the biological effects of proton pulses delivered at very high dose rates. Laser-accelerated proton beams have unique temporal emission properties, which can be exploited to deliver Gy level doses in single or multiple pulses at dose rates exceeding by many orders of magnitude those currently used in FLASH approaches. An extensive investigation of the radiobiology of laser-driven protons is therefore not only necessary for future clinical application, but also offers the opportunity of accessing yet untested regimes of radiobiology. This paper provides an updated review of the recent progress achieved in ultra-high dose rate radiobiology experiments employing laser-driven protons, including a brief discussion of the relevant methodology and dosimetry approaches.

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Section: Diagnostics and Dosimetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Diagnostics and Dosimetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Diagnostics and Dosimetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Radiobiology Experiments With Ultra-high Dose Rate Laser-Driven Protons: Methodology and State-of-the-Art

Chaudhary¹,

Milluzzo

Ahmed

et al. 2021

Front. Phys.

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“…The number of patients requiring radiotherapy, in Europe alone, is expected to reach 2 million over the next 4 years 45 . As mentioned previously, VHEE plans have been shown to be similar or superior to state-of-the-art VMAT plans due to the reduced scattering, sharper penumbra and insensitive to tissue inhomogeneities, offering a significant sparing to OARs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A focused very high energy electron beam for fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy

Svendsen

Guénot

Svensson

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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An electron beam of very high energy (50–250 MeV) can potentially produce a more favourable radiotherapy dose distribution compared to a state-of-the-art photon based radiotherapy technique. To produce an electron beam of sufficiently high energy to allow for a long penetration depth (several cm), very large accelerating structures are needed when using conventional radio-frequency technology, which may not be possible due to economical or spatial constraints. In this paper, we show transport and focusing of laser wakefield accelerated electron beams with a maximum energy of 160 MeV using electromagnetic quadrupole magnets in a point-to-point imaging configuration, yielding a spatial uncertainty of less than 0.1 mm, a total charge variation below $$1 \%$$ 1 % and a focal spot of $$2.3 \times 2.6\;{\text {mm}}^2$$ 2.3 × 2.6 mm 2 . The electron beam was focused to control the depth dose distribution and to improve the dose conformality inside a phantom of cast acrylic slabs and radiochromic film. The phantom was irradiated from 36 different angles to obtain a dose distribution mimicking a stereotactic radiotherapy treatment, with a peak fractional dose of 2.72 Gy and a total maximum dose of 65 Gy. This was achieved with realistic constraints, including 23 cm of propagation through air before any dose deposition in the phantom.

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“…Nevertheless, such beams present dosimetry challenges due to the increased electron energy and very short pulse lengths (ns to fs) compared to current clinical electron accelerators (µs), thus inducing much higher dose-rates within the pulses. Passive dosimetry, using radiochromic films, has been proposed for VHEEs with promising results 18 , but solutions still need to be developed for real-time dosimetry 3 , 19 , 20 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First theoretical determination of relative biological effectiveness of very high energy electrons

Delorme

Masilela

Etoh

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Very high energy electrons (VHEEs, E > 70 MeV) present promising clinical advantages over conventional beams due to their increased range, improved penumbra and relative insensitivity to tissue heterogeneities. They have recently garnered additional interest in their application to spatially fractionated radiotherapy or ultra-high dose rate (FLASH) therapy. However, the lack of radiobiological data limits their rapid development. This study aims to provide numerical biologically-relevant information by characterizing VHEE beams (100 and 300 MeV) against better-known beams (clinical energy electrons, photons, protons, carbon and neon ions). Their macro- and microdosimetric properties were compared, using the dose-averaged linear energy transfer ($$\overline{{L_{d} }}$$ L d ¯ ) as the macroscopic metric, and the dose-mean lineal energy $$\overline{{y_{d} }}$$ y d ¯ and the dose-weighted lineal energy distribution, yd(y), as microscopic metrics. Finally, the modified microdosimetric kinetic model was used to calculate the respective cell survival curves and the theoretical RBE. From the macrodosimetric point of view, VHEEs presented a potential improved biological efficacy over clinical photon/electron beams due to their increased $$\overline{{L_{d} }}$$ L d ¯ . The microdosimetric data, however, suggests no increased biological efficacy of VHEEs over clinical electron beams, resulting in RBE values of approximately 1, giving confidence to their clinical implementation. This study represents a first step to complement further radiobiological experiments.

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The European Joint Research Project UHDpulse – Metrology for advanced radiotherapy using particle beams with ultra-high pulse dose rates

Cited by 95 publications

References 150 publications

Radiobiology Experiments With Ultra-high Dose Rate Laser-Driven Protons: Methodology and State-of-the-Art

Radiobiology Experiments With Ultra-high Dose Rate Laser-Driven Protons: Methodology and State-of-the-Art

A focused very high energy electron beam for fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy

First theoretical determination of relative biological effectiveness of very high energy electrons

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