Comment on “Dosimetric evaluations of the interplay effect in respiratory‐gated intensity‐modulated radiation therapy” [Med. Phys. 36, 893–903 (2009)]

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134968/1/mp2483.pd

Laser acceleration of protons from near critical density targets for application to radiation therapy

Laser accelerated protons can be a complimentary source for treatment of oncological diseases to the existing hadron therapy facilities. We demonstrate how the protons, accelerated from near-critical density plasmas by laser pulses having relatively small power, reach energies which may be of interest for medical applications. When an intense laser pulse interacts with near-critical density plasma it makes a channel both in the electron and then in the ion density. The propagation of a laser pulse through such a self-generated channel is connected with the acceleration of electrons in the wake of a laser pulse and generation of strong moving electric and magnetic fields in the propagation channel. Upon exiting the plasma the magnetic field generates a quasi-static electric field that accelerates and collimates ions from a thin filament formed in the propagation channel. Two-dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulations show that a 100 TW laser pulse tightly focused on a near-critical density target is able to accelerate protons up to energy of 250 MeV. Scaling laws and optimal conditions for proton acceleration are established considering the energy depletion of the laser pulse.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figure

High energy electron beams shaped with applied magnetic fields could provide a competitive and cost‐effective alternative to proton and heavy‐ion radiotherapy

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135099/1/mp0453.pd

Magnetic confinement of electron and photon radiotherapy dose: A Monte Carlo simulation with a nonuniform longitudinal magnetic field

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135106/1/mp1091.pd

On‐line monitoring of radiotherapy beams: Experimental results with proton beams

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135090/1/mp8491.pd

Generation of GeV protons from 1 PW laser interaction with near critical density targets

The propagation of ultra intense laser pulses through matter is connected with the generation of strong moving magnetic fields in the propagation channel as well as the formation of a thin ion filament along the axis of the channel. Upon exiting the plasma the magnetic field displaces the electrons at the back of the target, generating a quasistatic electric field that accelerates and collimates ions from the filament. Two-dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulations show that a 1 PW laser pulse tightly focused on a near-critical density target is able to accelerate protons up to an energy of 1.3 GeV. Scaling laws and optimal conditions for proton acceleration are established considering the energy depletion of the laser pulse.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figure

Magnetic confinement of radiotherapy beam-dose profiles

We have used electron and photon beams from the 50 MV electron microtron at UM Hospital together with a large-bore 3.5T superconducting solenoid to demonstrate the magnetic confinement of HE electron and photon beam-dose profiles for typical radiotherapy beams. The HE electron beams in particular exhibit a large reduction in penumbra when entering a tissue-equivalent phantom and, in addition, confinement of the secondary electrons produced by the primary beam. Likewise photon beams show a similar confinement of the dose from secondary electrons. While the results resemble features predicted from Monte Carlo calculations, there are a number of anomalous details in the actual experimental data which serve to illustrate the problems associated with practical clinical implementations. However the data suggest that in certain cases HE electrons may provide a cost-effective alternate to proton or HI radiotherapy beams and, also, improve the dose profile for HE photon beams. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87615/2/44_1.pd

Impact of different leaf velocities and dose rates on the number of monitor units and the dose-volume-histograms using intensity modulated radiotherapy with sliding-window technique

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using sliding window technique utilises a leaf sequencing algorithm, which takes some control system limitations like dose rates (DR) and velocity of the leafs (LV) into account. The effect of altering these limitations on the number of monitor units and radiation dose to the organs at risk (OAR) were analysed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>IMRT plans for different LVs from 1.0 cm/sec to 10.0 cm/sec and different DRs from 100 MU/min to 600 MU/min for two patients with prostate cancer and two patients with squamous cell cancer of the scalp (SCCscalp) were calculated using the same "optimal fluence map". For each field the number of monitor units, the dose volume histograms and the differences in the "actual fluence maps" of the fields were analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>With increase of the DR and decrease of the LV the number of monitor units increased and consequentially the radiation dose given to the OAR. In particular the serial OARs of patients with SCCscalp, which are located outside the end position of the leafs and inside the open field, received an additional dose of a higher DR and lower LV is used.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>For best protection of organs at risk, a low DR and high LV should be applied. But the consequence of a low DR is both a long treatment time and also that a LV of higher than 3.0 cm/sec is mechanically not applicable. Our recommendation for an optimisation of the discussed parameters is a leaf velocity of 2.5 cm/sec and a dose rate of 300–400 MU/min (prostate cancer) and 100–200 MU/min (SCCscalp) for best protection of organs at risk, short treatment time and number of monitor units.</p

NOTE: An apparatus for applying strong longitudinal magnetic fields to clinical photon and electron beams

Monte Carlo studies have recently renewed interest in the use of the effect of strong transverse and longitudinal magnetic fields to manipulate the dose characteristics of clinical photon and electron beams. A 3.5 T superconducting solenoidal magnet was used to evaluate the effect of a longitudinal field on both photon and electron beams. This note describes the apparatus and demonstrates some of the effects on the beam trajectory and dose distributions for measurements in a homogeneous phantom. The effects were studied using film in air and in phantoms which fit in the magnet bore. The magnetic field focused and collimated the electron beams. The converging, non-uniform field confined the beam and caused it to converge with increasing depth in the phantom. Due to the field's collecting and focusing effect, the beam flux density increased, leading to increased dose deposition near the magnetic axis, especially near the surface of the phantom. This study illustrates some benefits and challenges associated with the use of non-uniform longitudinal magnetic fields in conjunction with clinical electron and photon beams.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48970/2/m105n1.pd

Intrafraction motion of the prostate during an IMRT session: a fiducial-based 3D measurement with Cone-beam CT

Background: Image-guidance systems allow accurate interfractional repositioning of IMRT treatments, however, these may require up to 15 minutes. Therefore intrafraction motion might have an impact on treatment precision. 3D geometric data regarding intrafraction prostate motion are rare; we therefore assessed its magnitude with pre- and post-treatment fiducial-based imaging with cone-beam-CT (CBCT). Methods: 39 IMRT fractions in 5 prostate cancer patients after (125)I-seed implantation were evaluated. Patient position was corrected based on the (125)I-seeds after pre-treatment CBCT. Immediately after treatment delivery, a second CBCT was performed. Differences in bone- and fiducial position were measured by seed-based grey-value matching. Results: Fraction time was 13.6 +/- 1.6 minutes. Median overall displacement vector length of (125)Iseeds was 3 mm (M = 3 mm, Sigma = 0.9 mm, sigma = 1.7 mm; M: group systematic error, Sigma: SD of systematic error, sigma: SD of random error). Median displacement vector of bony structures was 1.84 mm (M = 2.9 mm, Sigma = 1 mm, sigma = 3.2 mm). Median displacement vector length of the prostate relative to bony structures was 1.9 mm (M = 3 mm, Sigma = 1.3 mm, sigma = 2.6 mm). Conclusion: a) Overall displacement vector length during an IMRT session is &lt; 3 mm. b) Positioning devices reducing intrafraction bony displacements can further reduce overall intrafraction motion. c) Intrafraction prostate motion relative to bony structures is &lt; 2 mm and may be further reduced by institutional protocols and reduction of IMRT duration