Cherenkov Video Imaging Allows for the First Visualization of Radiation Therapy in Real Time
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire (United States)
- Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire (United States)
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire (United States)
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire (United States)
Purpose: To determine whether Cherenkov light imaging can visualize radiation therapy in real time during breast radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: An intensified charge-coupled device (CCD) camera was synchronized to the 3.25-μs radiation pulses of the clinical linear accelerator with the intensifier set × 100. Cherenkov images were acquired continuously (2.8 frames/s) during fractionated whole breast irradiation with each frame an accumulation of 100 radiation pulses (approximately 5 monitor units). Results: The first patient images ever created are used to illustrate that Cherenkov emission can be visualized as a video during conditions typical for breast radiation therapy, even with complex treatment plans, mixed energies, and modulated treatment fields. Images were generated correlating to the superficial dose received by the patient and potentially the location of the resulting skin reactions. Major blood vessels are visible in the image, providing the potential to use these as biological landmarks for improved geometric accuracy. The potential for this system to detect radiation therapy misadministrations, which can result from hardware malfunction or patient positioning setup errors during individual fractions, is shown. Conclusions: Cherenkoscopy is a unique method for visualizing surface dose resulting in real-time quality control. We propose that this system could detect radiation therapy errors in everyday clinical practice at a time when these errors can be corrected to result in improved safety and quality of radiation therapy.
- OSTI ID:
- 22420348
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 89, Issue 3; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Camera selection for real-time in vivo radiation treatment verification systems using Cherenkov imaging
MO-A-BRD-06: In Vivo Cherenkov Video Imaging to Verify Whole Breast Irradiation Treatment