Real-time imaging for dose evaluation during antiproton irradiation

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Particle Physics
• Radiotherapy Technology

Background:

• Online monitoring of particle beam stopping distributions in radiotherapy is crucial for early detection of dose deposition errors.
• Improving radiotherapy quality relies on real-time error detection during treatment sessions.
• Antiproton annihilation produces detectable secondary particles suitable for real-time monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of real-time imaging using charged pions from antiproton irradiation.
• To assess the precision of target volume localization during antiproton therapy.

Main Methods:

• Monte Carlo calculations were performed to simulate antiproton irradiation of biological targets.
• Detection of charged pions (pi+/-) produced during irradiation was simulated.
• A simplified treatment plan in a water phantom was modeled.

Main Results:

• The study demonstrates the potential for real-time imaging by detecting charged pions.
• Simulations show that the position and size of the planned target volume can be located with approximately 1 mm precision.
• This method allows for precise localization of the treatment area.

Conclusions:

• Detecting charged pions from antiproton annihilation offers a viable method for online monitoring in radiotherapy.
• This technique can significantly enhance the safety and quality of particle beam therapy.
• Real-time, millimeter-precision localization of the target volume is achievable.