Proton dose calculation based on in-air fluence measurements

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Particle Therapy

Background:

• Traditional proton, photon, and electron dose calculations rely on water phantom measurements.
• Proton scanning beam algorithms are an exception, often using in-air spot profile measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt the concept of in-air configuration measurements for scattering and uniform scanning proton delivery techniques.
• To develop a generic dose calculation method applicable to all proton machine designs and techniques.

Main Methods:

• Implemented in-air configuration measurements for scattering and uniform scanning proton delivery.
• Introduced a separate step to calculate the in-air fluence distribution per energy layer.
• Utilized the calculated in-air fluence as input for a generic dose calculation algorithm.

Main Results:

• The in-air fluence calculation is specific to the proton delivery technique and treatment machine design.
• The subsequent dose calculation is generic, independent of machine design and delivery technique.
• This approach allows for a unified dose calculation framework for different proton therapy modalities.

Conclusions:

• In-air configuration measurements are a viable approach for proton dose calculations in scanning beam therapies.
• The proposed method simplifies dose calculation by separating in-air fluence determination from the generic dose computation.
• This technique enhances the adaptability and consistency of proton dose calculations across various treatment systems.