Radiation damage and recovery of plastic scintillators under ultra-high dose rate 200 MeV electrons (VHEEs) at CERN CLEAR facility

4. FLASH-RT / UHDR, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MeV Electron, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Beam characterization, Custom Probe Development, Detector comparaison, Fundamental Research, Multi-point Dosimetry, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

The team investigates the radiation damage and recovery of plastic scintillators under ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) conditions using 200 MeV electrons at the CERN CLEAR facility (VHEEs). Their findings highlight the challenges of accurate dosimetry in UHDR radiotherapy and explores the potential of plastic scintillation detectors (PSDs) for research and clinical applications using this innovative beam conditions and modality.

HYPERSCINT, developed by Medscint, is uniquely positioned to address these challenges with its hyperspectral technology, enabling precise differentiation between scintillation and Cherenkov emissions. This innovation enhances dosimetry accuracy, making HYPERSCINT a valuable tool for advancing UHDR radiotherapy research and clinical implementation, including VHEEs.

Physics in Medicine & Biology
Cloé Giguère (1,2), Alexander Hart (3), Joseph Bateman (4), Pierre Korysko (4,5), Wilfrid Farabolini (5), Yoan LeChasseur (6), Magdalena Bazalova-Carter (3), Luc Beaulieu (1,2) | 1. Département de Physique, de Génie Physique et d’Optique et Centre de Recherche sur le Cancer, Université Laval – CANADA, 2. Département de Radio-Oncologie et Axe Oncologie du CRCHU de Québec, CHU de Québec, Université Laval – CANADA, 3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria – CANADA, 4. Department of Physics, University of Oxford – UK, 5. CERN – SWITZERLAND, 6. Medscint – CANADA

Radioluminescence-based fibre-optic dosimeters in radiotherapy: a review (incl. HYPERSCINT)

1. Small-Field Dosimetry, 2. Adaptive-RT (ex. MR-LINAC), 3. Treatment Plan (End-to-End) QA, 4. FLASH-RT / UHDR, 5. In Vivo Dosimetry, 6. Brachytherapy, 7. Commissioning, 8. Cherenkov Dosimetry, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, kV Photon, MeV Electron, MV Photon, Proton (and other Particules), Adaptive-RT, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Custom Probe Development, Detector comparaison, Fundamental Research, LINAC Pulse Discrimination, Multi-point Dosimetry, Quality Assurance, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

In their comprehensive review, Veronese et al. examine the evolution and clinical application of radioluminescence-based fiber-optic dosimeters (FODs) in radiotherapy. These dosimeters have become essential tools in modern radiotherapy due to their capability for real-time, high-resolution dose measurements with minimal perturbation of the radiation field.

The authors discuss a wide range of scintillating materials, their properties, and dosimetric performance. They provide a thorough comparison of various solutions for addressing the stem-effect, a critical issue in fiber-optic dosimetry. Solutions reviewed include the hyperspectral approach (utilized by Medscint’s HYPERSCINT system), twin-fiber subtraction, optical filtering, dual-channel spectral discrimination, temporal gating, air-core light guides, and real-time Optically Stimulated Luminescence (rtOSL). Notably, the hyperspectral technology employed by HYPERSCINT represents a major advancement, effectively overcoming many limitations of other approaches by offering superior accuracy, simplified calibration procedures, and enhanced robustness, particularly valuable in complex clinical scenarios.

The review also emphasizes the growing adoption and diverse clinical applications of FODs, highlighting their significant role in improving treatment precision and patient safety. Clinical applications addressed in the review include small-field dosimetry, brachytherapy and in vivo dosimetry; advanced radiotherapy modalities such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT), hadron and proton therapies; and finally a special attention to MRI-Linac dosimetry and ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) or FLASH radiotherapy.

Radiation Measurements
Ivan Veronese (1), Claus E. Andersen (2), Enbang Li (3), Levi Madden (4), Alexandre M.C. Santos (5, 6, 7) | Department of Physics, University of Milan and National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Milano Unit, Italy, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark, School of Physics, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia, Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, Australia, Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research, Australia, Radiation Oncology, Central Adelaide Local Heath Network, Australia, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Australia

Characterization of a 0.8 mm³ Medscint Plastic Scintillator Detector System for Small Field Dosimetry

1. Small-Field Dosimetry, MeV Electron, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Angular dependancy, Beam characterization, Detector comparaison, Energy Dependency, Quality Assurance Show more

The scintillator-based dosimetry system HYPERSCINT RP-200, coupled with a 0.8 mm³ plastic scintillator detector, demonstrated excellent dosimetric properties for small field radiation therapy, including good repeatability, dose linearity, and accuracy down to field sizes as small as 0.5 × 0.5 cm².

Physics in Medicine & Biology
Elena Timakova (1,2), Magdalena Bazalova-Carter (1) , Sergei Zavgorodni (2) | 1. University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, 2. BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island Centre, British Columbia, Canada

Investigation of temperature dependence of inorganic scintillators using the HYPERSCINT research platform

5. In Vivo Dosimetry, 6. Brachytherapy, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MV Photon, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Detector comparaison, Fundamental Research, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

The temperature dependence of four inorganic scintillation detectors was examined spectrally using the HYPERSCINT Research Platform 200 under 6 MV photon irradiations from a LINAC. After varying only the temperature of the detectors, all scintillators demonstrated linearity when the change in photon counts with temperature in the full-width at half maximum of their spectrum are integrated. Establishing the magnitude of the temperature dependence of the materials is critical to decide whether correction factors are required. This is especially true in applications such as brachytherapy, where detectors equilibrise to body temperature.

Radiation Measurements
Owen McLaughlin (1), Michael Martyn (1,2), Christoph Kleefeld (1), Mark Foley (1) | 1. Physics Unit, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland, 2. Galway Clinic, Doughiska, Galway, Ireland

Investigations of a Novel HyperscintTM Plastic Scintillator Detector and Hyperspectral Analysis Approach in a 74 MeV Proton Beam

1. Small-Field Dosimetry, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MV Photon, Proton (and other Particules), Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Fundamental Research Show more

The HYPERSCINT novel plastic scintillator with spectral analysis approach dosimetry system shows potential for dose measurement in a 74 MeV proton beam with negligible stem effect. The Cerenkov free spectrum may be used to facilitate calibration of the device in MV x-ray beams to improve Cerenkov removal and performance in small field dosimetry.

2021 AAPM ANNUAL MEETING
C.Duzenli (1), C.Hoehr (2), C.Belanger-champagne (2, C.Penner (3), V.Strgar (3) | 1- BC Cancer, BC, CANADA, 2- TRIUMF, BC, CANADA, 3- University of British Columbia, BC, CANADA

On the nature of the light produced within PMMA optical light guides in scintillation fiber-optic dosimetry

9. Advanced Dosimetry, MeV Electron, MV Photon, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Cherenkov, Energy Dependency, Fundamental Research Show more

The goal of this study was to evaluate the nature of the stem effect light produced within an optical fiber, to quantify its composition, and to evaluate the efficiency of the chromatic technique to remove the stem effect. The chromatic stem effect removal technique is accurate in most of the situations. However, noticeable differences were obtained between very specific high-energy irradiation conditions. It would be advantageous to implement an additional channel in the chromatic stem effect removal chain or implement a spectral approach to independently remove the Cerenkov and the fluorescence components from the signal of interest. This would increase the accuracy and versatility of the actual chromatic stem effect removal technique.

PHYSICS IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY
F.Therriault-Proulx (1)(2), L.Beaulieu (2)(3), L.Archambault (2)(3), S.Beddar (4)(1) | 1- Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA, 2- Département de Physique, de Génie Physique et d’Optique, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada, 3- Département de Radio-Oncologie, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Québec, Canada

Water-equivalent plastic scintillation detectors for high-energy beam dosimetry: II. Properties and measurements

7. Commissioning, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MeV Electron, MV Photon, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Fundamental Research Show more

The properties of a new scintillation detector system for use in dosimetry of high-energy beams in radiotherapy have been measured. The most important properties of these detectors are their hgh spatial resolution and their nearly water-equivalence.

PHYSICS IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY
A.S. Beddar, T.R. Mackie, F.H. Attix | Depanment of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wl, USA

Water-equivalent plastic scintillation detectors for high-energy beam dosimetry: I. Physical characteristics and theoretical consideration

7. Commissioning, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MeV Electron, MV Photon, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Fundamental Research Show more

A minimally perturbing plastic scintillation detector has been developed for the dosimetry of high-energy beams in radiotherapy. The detector system consists of two identical parallel sets of radiation-resistant optical fibre bundles, each connected to independent photomultiplier tubes.

PHYSICS IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY
A.S. Beddar, T.R. Mackie, F.H. Attix | Depanment of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wl, USA

A Novel Multi-Headed Scintillation Detector for Fast and Efficient Dose Measurements at Multiple Locations Simultaneously

3. Treatment Plan (End-to-End) QA, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MV Photon, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Multi-point Dosimetry, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

To develop and quantify the performances of a novel multi-point scintillation detector having multiple heads connected to the same optical line, allowing real-time dose measurements simultaneously at 3 positions in non-contiguous space.

2022 AAPM ANNUAL MEETING
B.Lessard (1,2), Y.Lechasseur (3), S.Lambert-girard (3), F.Therriault-Proulx (3), L.Beaulieu (1,2), L.Archambault (1,2) | 1- Département de physique, génie physique et optique, et Centre de recherche sur le cancer, Université Laval, Québec, CA , 2- CHU de Quebec – Universite Laval, QC, Canada, 3- MEDSCINT, QC, Canada

External beam irradiation angle measurement using Cerenkov emission

8. Cherenkov Dosimetry, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MV Photon, Advanced Optical Dosimetry, Monte Carlo Simulations Show more

In this study, we propose a novel approach designed to take advantage of the Cerenkov angular dependency to perform a direct measurement of an external beam radiation angle of incidence. The detector offers promising perspectives for external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy applications.

MEDICAL PHYSICS
E.Jean (1,2,3), S.Lambert-girard (4), F.Therriault-Proulx (4), L.Beaulieu (1,2) | 1- Département de physique, génie physique et optique, et Centre de recherche sur le cancer, Université Laval, QC, Canada, 2- Département de radio-oncologie et Axe Oncologie du CRCHU de Québec, QC, CA, 3- Département de radio-oncologie du CIUSSS-MCQ, CHAUR de Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada, 4- MEDSCINT, QC, Canada