Abstract
The characteristic depth-dose profile of protons traveling through material is the main advantage of proton therapy over conventional radiotherapy with photons or electrons. However, uncertainties regarding the range of the protons in human tissue prevent to exploit the full potential of proton therapy. Therefore, a non-invasive in-vivo dose monitoring is desired. At the ion beam center MedAustron in Wiener Neustadt/Austria, patient treatment with proton beams started in December 2016. A PET/CT is available in close vicinity of the treatment rooms, exclusively dedicated to offline PET monitoring directly after the therapeutic irradiation. Preparations for a patient study include workflow tests under realistic clinical conditions using two different phantoms, irradiated with protons prior to the scan in the PET/CT. GATE simulations of the C-11 production are used as basis for the prediction of the PET measurement. We present results from the workflow tests in comparison with simulation results, and by this, we demonstrate the applicability of the PET monitoring at the MedAustron facility.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 59-65 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Zeitschrift fur Medizinische Physik |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Computer Simulation
- Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging
- Humans
- Phantoms, Imaging
- Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
- Proton Therapy
- Radiation Monitoring/methods
- Radiotherapy Dosage