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The purpose of this study was to determine how the characteristics of the data acquisition (DAQ) electronics of a Compton camera (CC) affect the quality of the recorded prompt gamma (PG) interaction data and the reconstructed images, during clinical proton beam delivery. We used the Monte-Carlo-plus-Detector-Effect (MCDE) model to simulate the delivery of a 150 MeV clinical proton pencil beam to a tissue-equivalent plastic phantom. With the MCDE model we analyzed how the recorded PG interaction data changed as two characteristics of the DAQ electronics of a CC were changed: (1) the number of data readout channels; and (2) the active charge collection, readout, and reset time. As the proton beam dose rate increased, the number of recorded PG single-, double-, and triple-scatter events decreased by a factor of 60× for the current DAQ configuration of the CC. However, as the DAQ readout channels were increased and the readout/reset timing decreased, the number of recorded events decreased by

We present Compton camera (CC) based PG imaging for proton range verification at clinical dose rates. PG emission from a tissue-equivalent phantom during irradiation with clinical proton beams was measured with a prototype CC. Images were reconstructed of the raw measured data and of data processed with a neural network (NN) trained to identify “true” and “false” PG events. From these images, we determine if PG images produced by the prototype CC could provide clinically useful information about the in vivo range of the proton beams delivered during proton beam radiotherapy. NN processing of the data was found necessary to allow identification of the proton beam path from the PG images. Furthermore, to allow the localization of the end of the proton beam range with a precision of ≤ 3mm with the prototype CC, ~1 x 109 protons would need to be delivered, which is on the order of magnitude delivered for a standard proton radiotherapy treatment field. To obtain higher precision in beam range determination and to allow imaging a single proton pencil beam delivered within the full treatment field, further improvements in PG detection rates by the CC, NN data processing, and image reconstruction algorithms are needed.

Position sensitive CdZnTe Compton imaging cameras are currently being studied for their use of proton beam range verification for radiotherapy applications. This work presents the use of an experimental large volume CdZnTe detector for the detection of prompt gamma rays that are emitted from proton-nuclei interaction within plastic (C2H4) targets. Two experiments were conducted where the incident angle and the dose profile of the beam were varied. The energy spectra from these experiments show that the angle at which the beam enters the target can influence the photopeak to Compton continuum ratios, resulting in more than 18% increase at 718 keV when the beam is parallel to the detector. Images of the 718 keV and 4.44 MeV characteristic prompt gamma ray emission from carbon-proton interactions are reconstructed using list-mode maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM). Images from these prompt gamma emissions line up well with the expected location of the proton beam within the plastic targets.

This work tested the feasibility of a silicon-on-insulator microdosimeter, which mimics the size and shape of specific cells within the human body, to determine dose equivalent from neutron irradiation. The microdosimeters were analyzed in terms of their basic diode characteristics, i.e., leakage current as a function of bias voltage. Lineal energy spectra were acquired using two different converter layers placed atop the microdosimeter: a tissue-substitute converter made from high-density polyethylene, and a boron converter consisting of epoxy coated with boron powder. The spectra were then converted into absorbed dose and dose equivalent. Experimental results were compared to Monte Carlo simulations of the neutron irradiations, revealing good agreement. Uncertainty in the dose equivalent determinations was 7.5% when using the cell-shaped microdosimeter with the tissue-substitute converter and 13.1% when using the boron converter. This work confirmed that the SOI approach to cell-mimicking microdosimetry is feasible.

We present feasibility studies of an economically built curved CsI dome for a high performance Cardiac SPECT application. The dome CsI was 99% of standard CsI density and mechanically stable. The light yield was 56% of a standard CsI crystal. Subsequently we successfully performed point-source position-sensitive scintillation light measurement experiments on a CsI:Tl domed sample, with a simple fiber-optic readout. The economical technique of building the detector shown here will be investigated further over the long term future.