title: Interaction vertex imaging (IVI) for carbon ion therapy monitoring: a feasibility study.
abstract: Proton imaging can be seen as a powerful technique for online monitoring of ion range during carbon ion therapy irradiations. Indeed, a large number of secondary protons are created during nuclear reactions, and many of these protons are likely to escape from the patient even for deep-seated tumors, carrying accurate information on the reaction vertex position. Two detection techniques have been considered: (i) double-proton detection by means of two forward-located trackers and (ii) single-proton detection in coincidence with the incoming carbon ion detected by means of a beam hodoscope. Geant4 simulations, validated by proton yield measurements performed at GANIL and GSI, show that ion-range monitoring is accessible on a pencil-beam basis with the single-proton imaging technique. Millimetric precision on the Bragg peak position is expected in the ideal case of homogeneous targets. The uncertainties in more realistic conditions should be investigated, in particular the influence of tissue heterogeneity in the very last part of the ion path (about 20 mm).
authors: Institut de Physique Nucléaire de Lyon, Université de Lyon, F-69003 Villeurbanne, France.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Henriquet
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Testa
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Chevallier
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Dauvergne
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Dedes
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Freud
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Krimmer
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Létang
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Ray
authors: M-H
authors: MH
authors: Richard
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Sauli
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D011522:Protons; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D002244:Carbon