title: Exploration of the potential of liquid scintillators for real-time 3D dosimetry of intensity modulated proton beams.
abstract: In this study, the authors investigated the feasibility of using a 3D liquid scintillator (LS) detector system for the verification and characterization of proton beams in real time for intensity and energy-modulated proton therapy. A plastic tank filled with liquid scintillator was irradiated with pristine proton Bragg peaks. Scintillation light produced during the irradiation was measured with a CCD camera. Acquisition rates of 20 and 10 frames per second (fps) were used to image consecutive frame sequences. These measurements were then compared to ion chamber measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. The light distribution measured from the images acquired at rates of 20 and 10 fps have standard deviations of 1.1% and 0.7%, respectively, in the plateau region of the Bragg curve. Differences were seen between the raw LS signal and the ion chamber due to the quenching effects of the LS and due to the optical properties of the imaging system. The authors showed that this effect can be accounted for and corrected by Monte Carlo simulations. The liquid scintillator detector system has a good potential for performing fast proton beam verification and characterization.
authors: Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 94, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. abeddar@mdanderson.org
authors: Sam
authors: S
authors: Beddar
authors: Louis
authors: L
authors: Archambault
authors: Narayan
authors: N
authors: Sahoo
authors: Falk
authors: F
authors: Poenisch
authors: George T
authors: GT
authors: Chen
authors: Michael T
authors: MT
authors: Gillin
authors: Radhe
authors: R
authors: Mohan
mesh_terms: D003199:Computer Systems; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D011522:Protons; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012588:Scintillation Counting / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D012996:Solutions