REALPATH: Development of a Range Verification System for Hadrontherapy Based on Prompt Gamma Imaging

Le résumé fourni par la source

Hadrontherapy is a form of radiation therapy which utilizes charged particles, such as protons and carbon ions, delivering highly localized radiation doses compared to conventional photonbased treatments. In this context, prompt gamma imaging (PGI) emerges as a valuable technique for monitoring, possibily realtime, the beam range, improving treatment accuracy and patient safety. We present the development of a verification system for dose monitoring in hadrontherapy based on a passive collimation and prompt gamma rays detection with a pixelated gamma camera composed of LYSO scintillator crystals coupled to silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The system adopts a modular architecture, with a 64-channel base unit. The detector and electronics are designed to maximize detection efficiency, minimize acquisition dead time, footprint, and cabling, ensuring seamless integration into a clinical environment. A dedicated positioning system is being studied to allow flexible placement of the detector without interfering with the treatment workflow. The proposed solution also includes a novel collimated configuration for prompt gamma detection, which saves weight with respect to the more conventional knife-edge slit collimator. Moreover, preliminary experimental results obtained with a small prototype system are presented.

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