A Monte Carlo feasibility study for neutron based real-time range verification in proton therapy

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Nuclear Instrumentation

Background:

• Proton therapy offers precise radiation delivery but is limited by uncertainties in proton range within tissue.
• These range uncertainties necessitate larger treatment margins, increasing radiation exposure to healthy tissues.
• Real-time range verification is crucial for optimizing proton therapy and minimizing side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a novel concept for real-time proton range verification.
• To leverage the detection of secondary neutrons for accurate range determination.
• To enhance the precision of proton therapy and reduce irradiated healthy tissue volume.

Main Methods:

• A detector concept utilizing a hydrogen-rich converter and two charged particle tracking detectors was designed.
• Neutrons produced during proton therapy interact with the converter, producing detectable protons (n,p interactions).
• A new reconstruction algorithm correlates detected proton trajectories with neutron production depth to estimate primary proton range.

Main Results:

• Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed detector concept.
• The method shows potential for real-time range verification with millimetric precision.
• The technique effectively correlates secondary neutron production depth with primary proton range.

Conclusions:

• The proposed secondary neutron detection method offers a viable solution for real-time proton range verification.
• This approach can significantly improve the accuracy and safety of proton therapy.
• Further development could lead to enhanced treatment planning and delivery in radiation oncology.