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Ultra-high dose rate electron FLASH beam irradiation using a modified clinical linear accelerator
Gyu-Seok Cho1, Kyo-Tae Kim1,2, Soon-Sung Lee1
1Radiation Therapy Technology and Standards, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
Plos One
|April 17, 2026
Summary
FLASH radiation therapy, a novel approach, shows promise in reducing normal tissue damage. This study modified a clinical linear accelerator to achieve ultra-high dose-rate FLASH beam irradiation for preclinical research.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiation Oncology
- Preclinical Research
Background:
- Conventional radiation therapy can cause significant normal tissue damage.
- FLASH radiation therapy (FLASH-RT) is an emerging technique that may mitigate this damage.
- Preclinical studies suggest FLASH-RT effectiveness, but its biological mechanisms require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement ultra-high dose-rate FLASH beam irradiation using a modified clinical linear accelerator.
- To establish a protocol for rapid switching between conventional (CONV) and FLASH modes.
- To create a database for studying the biological effects of FLASH beam irradiation.
Main Methods:
- Modification of core components of a clinical linear accelerator to enable FLASH irradiation.
- Development of a protocol for quick mode conversion between CONV and FLASH.
- Characterization of FLASH electron beam irradiation parameters (energy, field size, dose rate).
Main Results:
- Successful implementation of FLASH electron beam irradiation with a mean energy of 9.49 MeV and a maximum dose rate of 339.1 Gy/s.
- Achieved an effective field size of ∅ 39.9 mm under specific applicator conditions.
- Established a protocol enabling rapid switching between CONV and FLASH modes, satisfying most preclinical requirements.
Conclusions:
- The modified linear accelerator successfully achieved ultra-high dose-rate FLASH irradiation suitable for preclinical studies.
- Further investigation is needed to confirm if the protocol meets the required 1 Gy/pulse dose for biological studies.
- This work provides a foundation for understanding the biological effects of FLASH-RT.
