Design an open-access dynamic spot-scanning proton arc system controller for quantitative and comprehensive
Xiaoda Cong1, Gang Liu2,3,4, Peilin Liu1
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Corewell Health William Beaumont Hospital, Michigan, Royal Oak, USA.
Medical Physics
|December 27, 2025
Summary
We developed controller-SPArc, an open-access controller for proton arc therapy. Adjusting the buffer window and gantry speed significantly impacts treatment time and momentum, crucial for optimizing dynamic proton arc delivery.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiation Oncology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Proton arc therapy offers continuous treatment delivery with gantry rotation.
- Controller design is critical for managing irradiation sequence and gantry motion in proton arc systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop a novel, open-access proton arc system controller (controller-SPArc).
- Investigate the relationship between mechanical parameters and treatment delivery time in proton arc therapy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized control theory to optimize irradiation sequences within mechanical constraints.
- Calculated treatment delivery time considering tolerance window, buffer window, and gantry speed.
- Tested controller-SPArc on five diverse cancer sites (liver, head/neck, intracranial, lung, prostate).
Main Results:
- The buffer window size significantly influences dynamic treatment delivery time; larger buffers increase delivery time.
- Gantry acceleration/deceleration speed is crucial for efficiency when buffer windows are large.
- Buffer window settings also affect total momentum changes during dynamic treatment delivery.
Conclusions:
- Introduced controller-SPArc, the first open-access controller for dynamic proton arc therapy simulation.
- Provides a platform for testing advancements in hardware, controllers, and treatment planning for dynamic SPArc technology.
