A Novel Ultrahigh-Dose-Rate Proton Therapy Technology: Spot-Scanning Proton Arc Therapy + FLASH (SPLASH).

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2023

Publication Title

International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics

Abstract

PURPOSE: To take full advantage of FLASH dose rate (40 Gy/s) and high-dose conformity, we introduce a novel optimization and delivery technique, the spot-scanning proton arc therapy (SPArc) + FLASH (SPLASH).

METHODS AND MATERIALS: SPLASH framework was implemented in an open-source proton planning platform (MatRad, Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center). It optimizes with the clinical dose-volume constraint based on dose distribution and the dose-average dose rate by minimizing the monitor unit constraint on spot weight and accelerator beam current sequentially, enabling the first dynamic arc therapy with voxel-based FLASH dose rate. This new optimization framework minimizes the overall cost function value combined with plan quality and voxel-based dose-rate constraints. Three representative cases (brain, liver, and prostate cancer) were used for testing purposes. Dose-volume histogram, dose-rate-volume histogram, and dose-rate map were compared among intensity modulated proton radiation therapy (IMPT), SPArc, and SPLASH.

RESULTS: SPLASH/SPArc could offer superior plan quality over IMPT in terms of dose conformity. The dose-rate-volume histogram results indicated SPLASH could significantly improve V

CONCLUSIONS: SPLASH offers the first voxel-based ultradose-rate and high-dose conformity treatment using proton beam therapy. Such a technique has the potential to fit the needs of a broad range of disease sites and simplify clinical workflow without applying a patient-specific ridge filter, which has never before been demonstrated.

Volume

117

Issue

3

First Page

730

Last Page

737

DOI

10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.05.012

ISSN

1879-355X

PubMed ID

37196836

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