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Sample Preparation and Experimental Design for In Situ Multi-Beam Transmission Electron Microscopy Irradiation Experiments
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A preclinical microbeam facility with a conventional x-ray tube
Stefan Bartzsch1, Craig Cummings1, Stephan Eismann2
1Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Belmont Sutton, Surrey SM2 5NG, United Kingdom.
Medical Physics
|December 3, 2016
Summary
A new conventional x-ray tube system successfully generated microbeams for radiation therapy research. This breakthrough enables preclinical studies, potentially advancing tumor eradication while sparing normal tissue.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiation Oncology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) offers precise tumor targeting and normal tissue sparing.
- Current MRT development is limited by the lack of accessible, small-scale radiation sources.
- Synchrotrons are the primary sources for producing the necessary microbeam properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a small-scale source for generating microbeams using a conventional x-ray tube.
- To demonstrate the applicability of this new source in preclinical research.
- To characterize the properties of the microbeams produced.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a conventional x-ray tube with a small focal spot and a custom collimator.
- Produced microbeams measuring 50 microm wide with 400 microm spacing.
- Characterized radiation fields using radiochromic film dosimetry and analyzed DNA repair and cell cycle in pancreatic cancer cells.
Main Results:
- Achieved microbeam fields comparable to synchrotron-based MRT, with peak-to-valley dose ratios of 15.5–30.
- Delivered high dose rates of up to 300 mGy/s in microbeam peaks.
- Observed similar DNA double-strand break repair and cell cycle distribution in vitro compared to synchrotron sources, including reduced G2 arrest in peak regions.
Conclusions:
- The developed conventional x-ray tube source is currently suitable for in vitro microbeam radiation therapy research.
- Future modifications may enable in vivo studies in animal models.
- This advancement could broaden access to microbeam radiation therapy research.
