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

Temporal, spatial, and motion-included scintillation-based QA for an MR-linac

2. Adaptive-RT (ex. MR-LINAC), 3. Treatment Plan (End-to-End) QA, 7. Commissioning, 9. Advanced Dosimetry, MeV Electron, MV Photon, Adaptive-RT, Multi-point Dosimetry, Phantom QA, Quality Assurance, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

Modern adaptive radiotherapy techniques enhance healthy tissue sparing but introduce increased treatment complexity, requiring precise dosimetric validation. To address this, the MRI⁴ᴰ scintillator cassette in collaboration with IBA QUASAR and MEDSCINT is an innovative device integrating four MR-compatible plastic scintillation detectors (PSDs) and a radiochromic film. This device seamlessly works with the IBA QUASAR MRI⁴ᴰ Motion Phantom for comprehensive spatial, temporal, and motion-included dosimetry.

In this webinar, Prescilla Uijtewaal, PhD
explains her experience with the solution, showcasing the performance of the HYPERSCINT RP-200 scintillation dosimetry research platform in a 1.5T MR-linac and demonstrate the capabilities of the MRI⁴ᴰ scintillator cassette, and more.

WEBINAR – Physics World Magazine
Prescilla Uijtewaal, Martin Fast | University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU) – Netherlands

High-throughput, low-cost FLASH: irradiation of Drosophila melanogaster with low-Energy X-rays using time structures spanning ConvDR and UHDR

4. FLASH-RT / UHDR, 5. In Vivo Dosimetry, kV Photon, Fundamental Research, Rabiobiology, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

This article explores the potential of using low-energy X-rays to deliver ultrahigh dose-rate (UHDR) FLASH radiotherapy using Drosophila melanogaster as a model. For this they have compared the effects of UHDR (210 Gy/s) and conventional dose rates (0.2–0.4 Gy/s) on the eclosion and lifespan of fly larvae. The results showed that larvae treated with UHDR had higher survival rates and longer lifespans, particularly at intermediate doses, indicating a normal tissue-sparing FLASH effect.

The Medscint scintillation dosimetry detector was used to measure the response to X-rays at a very high sampling rate to confirm the time structure of the delivered radiation (i.e. the pulse width and inter-pulse spacing). Along with film measurements, they also confirmed that the doses delivered with UHDR and CONV agreed within 0.1%.

Journal of Radiation Research
Alexander Hart (1), Jan P Dudzic (1), Jameson W Clarke (1), Jonathan Eby (2), Steve J Perlman (1), Magdalena Bazalova-Carter (1) | 1. University of Victoria, BC – CANADA, 2. University of Toronto, ON – CANADA

Development and first implementation of a novel multi-modality cardiac motion and dosimetry phantom for radiotherapy applications

2. Adaptive-RT (ex. MR-LINAC), 3. Treatment Plan (End-to-End) QA, MV Photon, Adaptive-RT, Multi-point Dosimetry, Phantom QA, Quality Assurance, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

Magnetic resonance guided radiation therapy (MRgRT) for real-time gating around the heart for treating ventricular tachycardia (VT) are rapidly advancing. A novel, multi-modality modular heart phantom was developed and utilized in gated radiotherapy experiments on a 0.35 T MR-linac. This phantom can simulate cardiac, cardio-respiratory, and respiratory motions, and perform dosimetric evaluations using ionization chamber and plastic scintillation detectors (PSD from MEDSCINT) configurations.

Due to their small sensitive volumes, time-resolved PSDs are effective for low-amplitude/high-frequency movements and multi-point data acquisition, enhancing dosimetric capabilities. This advancement in VT planning and delivery illustrates the phantom’s potential to meet the growing demands of cardiac applications in radiotherapy.

MEDICAL PHYSICS
Kenneth W. Gregg (1,2), Chase Ruff (1,2), Grant Koenig (3), Kalin I. Penev (3), Andrew Shepard (1), Grace Kreissler (4), Margo Amatuzio (4), Cameron Owens (4), Prashant Nagpal (5), Carri K. Glide-Hurst (1,2) | 1. Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 2. Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 3. Modus Medical Devices, Inc. (IBA QUASAR),London, Ontario, Canada, 4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 5. Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Characterization of a multi-point scintillation dosimetry research platform for a low-field MR-Linac

2. Adaptive-RT (ex. MR-LINAC), 5. In Vivo Dosimetry, 7. Commissioning, MV Photon, Adaptive-RT, Angular dependancy, Beam characterization, Commissioning, Quality Assurance, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

Plastic scintillation detectors (PSDs) are attractive for enhancing MRI-guided radiation therapy (MRgRT). A study evaluating the HYPERSCINT RP-200, a multi-probe PSD system, demonstrated excellent repeatability and minimal deviation in performance metrics such as detector response and percent depth dose (PDD). PSDs maintained consistent linearity across a broad range of monitor units and showcased high accuracy in gating experiments (ex. gating experiments where 400 cGy were delivered to isocenter : < 0.8 cGy variation for central axis measures and < 0.7 cGy for the gradient sampled region). These results highlight PSDs' huge potential in improving the precision and reliability of MRgRT, especially in complex real-time applications.

MEDICAL PHYSICS
Jennie Crosby (1), Chase Ruff (1), Ken Gregg (1), Jonathan Turcotte (2), Carri Glide-Hurst (1) | 1. Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 2. Medscint, Québec, Quebec, Canada

MLC tracking and dose accumulation validation on the MR-linac using a real-time deformable dosimeter

2. Adaptive-RT (ex. MR-LINAC), 3. Treatment Plan (End-to-End) QA, MV Photon, Adaptive-RT, Commissioning, Multi-point Dosimetry, Phantom QA, Quality Assurance, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

Online MRI on the MR-linac captures detailed anatomical movements, improving real-time radiotherapy adaptations. However, the lack of a suitable MRI-compatible phantom hinders workflow validation. This study introduces a deformable phantom with integrated real-time scintillation dosimeters, validating accuracy in MLC tracking and dose accumulation using the ELEKTA Unity MR-linac.

This study demonstrates the vast potential of this novel prototype deformable phantom with integrated PSDs for real-time dosimetry measurements on an MR-linac.

2024 ESTRO Annual Congress
Madelon van den Dobbelsteen (1), Pim T.S. Borman (1), Laurie J.M. de Vries (1), Sara L. Hackett (1), Kalin Penev (1), Rocco Flores (2), Stephanie Smith (2), Yoan LeChasseur (3), Simon Lambert-Girard (3), Benjamin Côté (3) , Peter L. Woodhead (1)(4), Lando S. Bosma (1), Cornel Zachiu (1), Bas W. Raaymakers (1), Martin F. Fast (1) | 1 University Medical Center Utrecht, Radiotherapy, Utrecht, Netherlands., 2 IBA QUASAR, Modus Medical Devices Inc. London ON, Canada. , 3 Medscint, -, Quebec City, Canada. , 4 Elekta AB, -, Stockholm, Sweden.

Experimental dosimetric verification of the intra-fraction drift correction on the 1.5 T MR-linac

2. Adaptive-RT (ex. MR-LINAC), 7. Commissioning, MV Photon, Adaptive-RT, Commissioning, Multi-point Dosimetry, Quality Assurance, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

MRI-guided online adaptive treatments can improve tumor targeting by adjusting treatment plans in real-time based on cine MR-scans. And to correct the intra-fraction motion, Elekta AB introduced the intra-fraction drift correction (IDC) functionality for the 1.5 T Unity MR-linac.

The IDC is a valuable functionality for fast intra-fraction adaptations and this research experimentally verifies the geometric and dosimetric accuracy of the IDC process using film, scintillation, and diode dosimetry.

ESTRO 2024 Annual Congress
Madelon van den Dobbelsteen, Sara L. Hackett, Stijn Oolbekkink, Bram van Asselen, Prescilla Uijtewaal, Martin F. Fast, Bas W. Raaymakers | University Medical Center Utrecht, Radiotherapy, Utrecht, Netherlands

Development of End-to-End Preclinical Treatment Verification Procedures, Traceable to NPL Air Kerma Primary Standard

1. Small-Field Dosimetry, 3. Treatment Plan (End-to-End) QA, 5. In Vivo Dosimetry, kV Photon, Adaptive-RT, Fundamental Research, Phantom QA, Quality Assurance, Rabiobiology, Real-time Dosimetry Show more

Dosimetry audits are an important tool to improve quality of reported results and to support standardization of preclinical radiation research. This work presents how the combination of passive and active detectors, such as the real-time HYPERSCINT scintillation dosimetry solution, with anatomically correct mouse phantoms are adequate for the development of End-to-End dosimetry audits for the independent verification of preclinical radiation treatments.

The traceability of the detectors’ calibration to primary standards strengthens the dosimetry chain in the validation of preclinical plans, and it is consistent with the current practice for dose traceability of clinical radiotherapy treatments. Their implementation at national and regional levels could lead to databases of anonymised records, which will positively impact the dissemination of best practices and sharing of validated results.

6th Conference on small animal precision image-guided radiotherapy
Ileana Silvestre Patallo (1), Rebecca Carter (2)(3), Andrew Nisbet (2), Anna Subiel (1), Giuseppe Schettino (1) | 1. National Physical Laboratory, UK, 2. University College London, UK, 3. Cancer Institut, UK