Towards accuracy improvements of ion-beam therapy applying helium-beam radiography based on Timepix detectors
Tim Gehrke
DKFZ (German Cancer Research Center), Heidelberg
Abstract: Compared to conventional photon-beam radiotherapy, ion-beam radiotherapy can provide more conformal and focused dose distributions. However, the steep gradients of such focused dose distributions lead to an increased sensitivity to treatment uncertainties. Therefore, a method for daily verification of the patient’s anatomy, tissue composition and the patient positioning is of great interest.
In this context, ion-beam radiography is a promising imaging modality, since it relies on the same physical mechanisms as ion-beam therapy does. Furthermore, the imaging dose can be lowered compared to the conventional x-ray imaging.
In this seminar, I will present the current status of our long-standing project on helium-beam radiography (αRAD) at the German Cancer Research Center and the Heidelberg Ion-beam Therapy Center (HIT). The experimental work is based on our compact detection system that we exclusively built from Timepix detectors.
After the explanation of basic principles and characteristics of αRAD, the latest results concerning image quality of our quantitative method for complex objects that mimic the human anatomy will be presented. Furthermore, the feasibility of using small and low-dose αRads for patient positioning is discussed and finally an approach to extract depth information from 2D radiographs, called 2.5D imaging, will be introduced.
Given the promising results, next steps towards an envisaged clinical application are outlined.
Seminar takes place on Thursday, September 11th 2025 at 2:00 PM
in the IEAP meeting room, Praha 1, Husova 240/5.
| Ing. Bartoloměj Biskup, Ph.D. seminar chair |
doc. Ing. Ivan Štekl, CSc. director of IEAP |
doc. Dr. André Sopczak IEEE CS - NPSS chair |
NUCLEAR & PLASMA SCIENCES SOCIETY CHAPTER
IEEE Czechoslovakia section
https://www.ieee.cz/main/section/nps/