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This work aimed to characterize a dedicated phantom for assessing the dose near metal implants for radiotherapy with photons and protons. A dosimetry audit phantom was redesigned to position a Gafchromic EBT-3 film within a bisected titanium pedicle screw (6.5 mm diameter). The mass density and the water equivalent thickness (WET) of the phantom material were determined. The phantom was irradiated using a photon arc and a horizontal proton beam in combination with a couch rotation of 20°, with three repeated measurements each. Treatment plans utilizing a single field covering the screw and the EBT-3 film were optimized to deliver a physical dose of 2 Gy using a collapsed cone and Monte Carlo dose engine for photons and protons, respectively. The mass density and the WET of the phantom were determined as (1.033 ± 0.010) gcm-3 and (1.022 ± 0.013), respectively. Ionisation chamber measurements agreed within 1% (photons) and 0.5% (protons) with the calculated dose values. Relative photon dosimetry measurements using EBT-3 films revealed an agreement between measured and calculated horizontal profiles within the confidence interval for areas beyond 5 mm from the center. For photon plans, significant deviations of more than 10% were found at the interfaces between phantom material and screw. The proton measurements showed a gradual decrease of 3% across both profiles. In contrast to photon plans, no dose increase was measured within the screw, but significant dose fluctuations (>5%) in the beam's exit region. This study showed that the behavior of dose engine is affected by metal implants and thus dosimetric measurements are highly recommended. The presented phantom can serve as foundation for dedicated end-2-end phantoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbon ion beams are well accepted as densely ionizing radiation with a high linear energy transfer (LET). However, the current clinical practice does not fully exploit the highest possible dose‐averaged LET (LETd) and, consequently, the biological potential in the target. This aspect becomes worse in larger tumors for which inferior clinical outcomes and corresponding lower LETd was reported. Purpose: The vicinity to critical organs in general and the inferior overall survival reported for larger sacral chordomas treated with carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT), makes the treatment of such tumors challenging. In this work it was aimed to increase the LETd in large volume tumors while maintaining the relative biological effectiveness (RBE)‐weighted dose, utilizing the LETd optimization functions of a commercial treatment planning system (TPS). Methods: Ten reference sequential boost carbon ion treatment plans, designed to mimic clinical plans for large sacral chordoma tumors, were generated. High dose clinical target volumes (CTV‐HD) larger than 250cm3$250 \,{\rm cm}^{3}$ were considered as large targets. The total RBE‐weighted median dose prescription with the local effect model (LEM) was DRBE,50%=73.6Gy$\textrm {D}_{\rm RBE, 50\%}=73.6 \,{\rm Gy}$ in 16 fractions (nine to low dose and seven to high dose planning target volume). No LETd optimization was performed in the reference plans, while LETd optimized plans used the minimum LETd (Lmin) optimization function in RayStation 2023B. Three different Lmin values were investigated and specified for the seven boost fractions: Lmin=60keV/μm$\textrm {L}_{\rm min}=60 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$, Lmin=80keV/μm$\textrm {L}_{\rm min}=80 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$ and Lmin=100keV/μm$\textrm {L}_{\rm min}=100 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$. To compare the LETd optimized against reference plans, LETd and RBE‐weighted dose based goals similar to and less strict than clinical ones were specified for the target. The goals for the organs at risk (OAR) remained unchanged. Robustness evaluation was studied for eight scenarios (±3.5%$\pm 3.5\%$ range uncertainty and ±3mm$\pm 3 \,{\rm mm}$ setup uncertainty along the main three axes). Results: The optimization method with Lmin=60keV/μm$\textrm {L}_{\rm min}=60 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$ resulted in an optimal LETd distribution with an average increase of LETd,98%${\rm {LET}}_{{\rm {d,}}98\%}$ (and LETd,50%${\rm {LET}}_{{\rm {d,}}50\%}$) in the CTV‐HD by 8.9±1.5keV/μm$8.9\pm 1.5 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$ (27%$27\%$) (and 6.9±1.3keV/μm$6.9\pm 1.3 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$ (17%$17\%$)), without significant difference in the RBE‐weighted dose. By allowing ±5%$\pm 5\%$ over‐ and under‐dosage in the target, the LETd,98%${\rm {LET}}_{{\rm {d,}}98\%}$ (and LETd,50%${\rm {LET}}_{{\rm {d,}}50\%}$) can be increased by 11.3±1.2keV/μm$11.3\pm 1.2 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$ (34%$34\%$) (and 11.7±3.4keV/μm$11.7\pm 3.4 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$ (29%$29\%$)), using the optimization parameters Lmin=80keV/μm$\textrm {L}_{\rm min}=80 \,{\rm keV}/{\umu }{\rm m}$. The pass rate for the OAR goals in the LETd optimized plans was in the same level as the reference plans. LETd optimization lead to less robust plans compared to reference plans. Conclusions: Compared to conventionally optimized treatment plans, the LETd in the target was increased while maintaining the RBE‐weighted dose using TPS LETd optimization functionalities. Regularly assessing RBE‐weighted dose robustness and acquiring more in‐room images remain crucial and inevitable aspects during treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The combination of magnetic resonance imaging and proton therapy offers the potential to improve cancer treatment. The magnetic field (MF)‐dependent change in the dosage of ionization chambers in magnetic resonance imaging‐integrated proton therapy (MRiPT) is considered by the correction factor kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$, which needs to be determined experimentally or computed via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Purpose: In this study, kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$ was both measured and simulated with high accuracy for a plane‐parallel ionization chamber at different clinical relevant proton energies and MF strengths. Material and methods: The dose‐response of the Advanced Markus chamber (TM34045, PTW, Freiburg, Germany) irradiated with homogeneous 10 ×$\times$ 10 cm 2$^2$ quasi mono‐energetic fields, using 103.3, 128.4, 153.1, 223.1, and 252.7 MeV proton beams was measured in a water phantom placed in the MF of an electromagnet with MF strengths of 0.32, 0.5, and 1 T. The detector was positioned at a depth of 2 g/cm 2$^2$ in water, with chamber electrodes parallel to the MF lines and perpendicular to the proton beam incidence direction. The measurements were compared with TOPAS MC simulations utilizing COMSOL‐calculated 0.32, 0.5, and 1 T MF maps of the electromagnet. kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$ was calculated for the measurements for all energies and MF strengths based on the equation: kB⃗,M,Q=MQMQB⃗$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}=\frac{M_\mathrm{Q}}{M_\mathrm{Q}^{\vec{B}}}$, where MQB⃗$M_\mathrm{Q}^{\vec{B}}$ and MQ$M_\mathrm{Q}$ were the temperature and air‐pressure corrected detector readings with and without the MF, respectively. MC‐based correction factors were determined as kB⃗,M,Q=DdetDdetB⃗$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}=\frac{D_\mathrm{det}}{D_\mathrm{det}^{\vec{B}}}$, where DdetB⃗$D_\mathrm{det}^{\vec{B}}$ and Ddet$D_\mathrm{det}$ were the doses deposited in the air cavity of the ionization chamber model with and without the MF, respectively. Furthermore, MF effects on the chamber dosimetry are studied using MC simulations, examining the impact on the absorbed dose‐to‐water (DW$D_{W}$) and the shift in depth of the Bragg peak. Results: The detector showed a reduced dose‐response for all measured energies and MF strengths, resulting in experimentally determined kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$ values larger than unity. For all energies and MF strengths examined, kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$ ranged between 1.0065 and 1.0205. The dependence on the energy and the MF strength was found to be non‐linear with a maximum at 1 T and 252.7 MeV. The MC simulated kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$ values agreed with the experimentally determined correction factors within their standard deviations with a maximum difference of 0.6%. The MC calculated impact on DW$D_{W}$ was smaller 0.2 %. Conclusion: For the first time, measurements and simulations were compared for proton dosimetry within MFs using an Advanced Markus chamber. Good agreement of kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$ was found between experimentally determined and MC calculated values. The performed benchmarking of the MC code allows for calculating kB⃗,M,Q$k_{\vec{B},M,Q}$ for various ionization chamber models, MF strengths and proton energies to generate the data needed for a proton dosimetry protocol within MFs and is, therefore, a step towards MRiPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Large tumor size has been reported as a predicting factor for inferior clinical outcome in carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT). Besides the clinical factors accompanied with such tumors, larger tumors receive typically more low linear energy transfer (LET) contributions than small ones which may be the underlying physical cause. Although dose averaged LET is often used as a single parameter descriptor to quantify the beam quality, there is no evidence that this parameter is the optimal clinical predictor for the complex mixed radiation fields in CIRT. Purpose: Purpose of this study was to investigate on a novel dosimetric quantity, namely high‐LET‐dose (D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$, the physical dose filtered based on an LET threshold) as a single parameter estimator to differentiate between carbon ion treatment plans (cTP) with a small and large tumor volume. Methods: Ten cTPs with a planning target volume, PTV≥500cm3$\mathrm{PTV}\ge {500}\,{{\rm cm}^{3}}$ (large) and nine with a PTV<500cm3$\mathrm{PTV}<{500}\,{{\rm cm}^{3}}$ (small) were selected for this study. To find a reasonable LET threshold (Lthr$\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}$) that results in a significant difference in terms of D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$, the voxel based normalized high‐LET‐dose (D̂>Lthr$\hat{\textrm {D}}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$) distribution in the clinical target volume (CTV) was studied on a subset (12 out of 19 cTPs) for 18 LET thresholds, using standard distribution descriptors (mean, variance and skewness). The classical dose volume histogram concept was used to evaluate the D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ and D̂>Lthr$\hat{\textrm {D}}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ distributions within the target of all 19 cTPs at the before determined Lthr$\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}$. Statistical significance of the difference between the two groups in terms of mean D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ and D̂>Lthr$\hat{\textrm {D}}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ volume histogram parameters was evaluated by means of (two‐sided) t‐test or Mann‐Whitney‐U‐test. In addition, the minimum target coverage at the above determined Lthr$\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}$ was compared and validated against three other thresholds to verify its potential in differentiation between small and large volume tumors. Results: An Lthr$\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}$ of approximately 30keV/μm${30}\,{\rm keV/}\umu {\rm m}$ was found to be a reasonable threshold to classify the two groups. At this threshold, the D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ and D̂>Lthr$\hat{\textrm {D}}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ were significantly larger (p<0.05$p<0.05$) in small CTVs. For the small tumor group, the near‐minimum and median D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ (and D̂>Lthr$\hat{\textrm {D}}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$) in the CTV were in average 9.3±1.5Gy$9.3\pm {1.5}\,{\rm Gy}$ (0.31 ± 0.08) and 13.6±1.6Gy$13.6\pm {1.6}\,{\rm Gy}$ (0.46 ± 0.06), respectively. For the large tumors, these parameters were 6.6±0.2Gy$6.6\pm {0.2}\,{\rm Gy}$ (0.20 ± 0.01) and 8.6±0.4Gy$8.6\pm {0.4}\,{\rm Gy}$ (0.28 ± 0.02). The difference between the two groups in terms of mean near‐minimum and median D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ (D̂>Lthr$\hat{\textrm {D}}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$) was 2.7 Gy (11%) and 5.0 Gy (18%), respectively. Conclusions: The feasibility of high‐LET‐dose based evaluation was shown in this study where a lower D>Lthr$\textrm {D}_{>\textrm {L}_{\textrm {thr}}}$ was found in cTPs with a large tumor size. Further investigation is needed to draw clinical conclusions. The proposed methodology in this work can be utilized for future high‐LET‐dose based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ion beam therapy allows for a substantial sparing of normal tissues and higher biological efficacy. Synthetic single crystal diamond is a very good material to produce high‐spatial‐resolution and highly radiation hard detectors for both dosimetry and microdosimetry in ion beam therapy. Purpose: The aim of this work is the design, fabrication and test of an integrated waterproof detector based on synthetic single crystal diamond able to simultaneously perform dosimetric and microdosimetric characterization of clinical ion beams. Methods: The active elements of the integrated diamond device, that is, dosimeter and microdosimeter, were both realized in a Schottky diode configuration featured by different area, thickness, and shape by means of photolithography technologies for the selective growth of intrinsic and boron‐doped CVD diamond. The cross‐section of the sensitive volume of the dosimetric element is 4 mm2 and 1 μm‐thick, while the microdosimetric one has an active cross‐sectional area of 100 × 100 μm2 and a thickness of about 6.2 μm. The dosimetric and microdosimetric performance of the developed device was assessed at different depths in a water phantom at the MedAustron ion beam therapy facility using a monoenergetic uniformly scanned carbon ion beam of 284.7 MeV/u and proton beam of 148.7 MeV. The particle flux in the region of the microdosimeter was 6·107 cm2/s for both irradiation fields. At each depth, dose and dose distributions in lineal energy were measured simultaneously and the dose mean lineal energy values were then calculated. Monte Carlo simulations were also carried out by using the GATE‐Geant4 code to evaluate the relative dose, dose averaged linear energy transfer (LETd), and microdosimetric spectra at various depths in water for the radiation fields used, by considering the contribution from the secondary particles generated in the ion interaction processes as well. Results: Dosimetric and microdosimetric quantities were measured by the developed prototype with relatively low noise (∼2 keV/μm). A good agreement between the measured and simulated dose profiles was found, with discrepancies in the peak to plateau ratio of about 3% and 4% for proton and carbon ion beams respectively, showing a negligible LET dependence of the dosimetric element of the device. The microdosimetric spectra were validated with Monte Carlo simulations and a good agreement between the spectra shapes and positions was found. Dose mean lineal energy values were found to be in close agreement with those reported in the literature for clinical ion beams, showing a sharp increase along the Bragg curve, being also consistent with the calculated LETd for all depths within the experimental error of 10%. Conclusions: The experimental indicate that the proposed device can allow enhanced dosimetry in particle therapy centers, where the absorbed dose measurement is implemented by the microdosimetric characterization of the radiation field, thus providing complementary results. In addition, the proposed device allows for the reduction of the experimental uncertainties associated with detector positioning and could facilitate the partial overcoming of some drawbacks related to the low sensitivity of diamond microdosimeters to low LET radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro therapeutic efficacy studies are commonly conducted in cell monolayers. However, three-dimensional (3D) tumor spheroids are known to better represent in vivo tumors. This study used [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T, an already clinically applied radiopharmaceutical for targeted radionuclide therapy against metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, to demonstrate the differences in the radiobiological response between 2D and 3D cell culture models of the prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 (PSMA negative) and LNCaP (PSMA positive). After assessing the target expression in both models via Western Blot, cell viability, reproductive ability, and growth inhibition were assessed. To investigate the geometric effects on dosimetry for the 2D vs. 3D models, Monte Carlo simulations were performed. Our results showed that PSMA expression in LNCaP spheroids was highly preserved, and target specificity was shown in both models. In monolayers of LNCaP, no short-term (48 h after treatment), but only long-term (14 days after treatment) radiobiological effects were evident, showing decreased viability and reproductive ability with the increasing activity. Further, LNCaP spheroid growth was inhibited with the increasing activity. Overall, treatment efficacy was higher in LNCaP spheroids compared to monolayers, which can be explained by the difference in the resulting dose, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]