A New Software Tool for Modeling the Performance of Prompt Gamma Cameras for Range Verification in Hadron Therapy

Le résumé fourni par la source

In recent years, prompt gamma imaging has been shown to enable range verification with millimeter precision in hadron therapy. However, the low prompt gamma yield and high background mainly from neutrons remain significant challenges for its application in clinical settings. A key factor in optimizing the performance of a prompt gamma camera is the geometry of the collimator and the detector. To simulate the performance of such cameras, time-consuming Monte Carlo particle physics simulations are commonly used. The long computation times and complex software implementations makes the use of these tools for comprehensive collimator design studies difficult. Thus, we have developed a Python-based software tool that, in contrast to Monte Carlo simulation tools, uses a fast ray-tracing approach to model the effect of the collimator. This tool provides evaluation times well below one second and has been validated using prototype measurements with a 150 MeV proton beam. In addition to describing the model and its validation, we present a comparison of different collimator configurations (knife-edge slit, multiparallel slit, and a novel inverted collimator) in order to determine the optimal configuration for the future REALPATH prompt gamma camera.

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