Speaker
Description
After many years of routine tumor treatment with heavy-ion beams (such as 12C) [1,2], several recent advancements have paved the way for hadron therapy using light, positron-emitting ion beams [3, 4]. Studies have demonstrated that selected light ion beams (e.g., up to mass number A = 20) can be efficiently produced via fragmentation reactions and in-flight separation, making them viable candidates for PET-based treatment monitoring due to their favorable half-lives and production cross-sections. For instance, positron-emitting light ion beams offer a promising avenue for enhancing in-vivo range verification in hadron therapy through in-beam positron emission tomography (PET) [5–8].
Building on recent experimental developments and beam dynamics simulations, we present a conceptual design for a fragment separator optimized for the production of positron-emitting light ion beams for therapeutic applications. The separator employs a magnetic rigidity (Bρ)-based selection mechanism, combined with energy degraders and high-resolution achromatic optics, to isolate desired isotopes from a mixture of fragmentation products. The layout integrates a production target, dipole and quadrupole magnet systems, and time-of-flight diagnostics to ensure beam purity and tunability across a range of isotopes. The system is designed to deliver beams with sufficient intensity, spatial precision, and temporal stability for clinical implementation in conjunction with real-time PET imaging.
This conceptual design aims to serve as a flexible platform for producing a spectrum of positron-emitting light ions, enabling improved beam range monitoring and dosimetry in hadron therapy. By supporting the integration of advanced imaging and feedback systems, it represents a step towards more precise and adaptive cancer treatment modalities.
Refrences
1. Castro, J. R. et al. Current status of clinical particle radiotherapy at Lawrence Berkeley laboratory. Cancer 46, 633–641 (1980).
2. Durante, M., Orecchia, R. & Loeffler, J. S. Charged-particle therapy in cancer: Clinical uses and future perspectives. Nat. Rev. Clin. Oncol. 14, 483–495. (2017).
3. Kanazawa, M. et al. Application of an RI-beam for cancer therapy: In-vivo verification of the ion-beam range by means of positron imaging. Nucl. Phys. A 701, 244–252. (2002).
4. Durante, M. & Parodi, K. Radioactive beams in particle therapy: Past, present, and future. Front. Phys. 8, 1 13. (2020).
5. Boscolo, D. et al. Radioactive beams for image-guided particle therapy: The BARB experiment at GSI. Front. Oncol. 11, 3297. (2021).
6. Kostyleva, D. et al. Precision of the PET activity range during irradiation with 10C, 11C, and 12C beams. Phys. Med. Biol. 68, 015003. (2022).
7. Haettner, E. et al. Production and separation of positron emitters for hadron therapy at FRS-Cave M. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. B 541, 114–116. (2023).
| Email address | e.haettner@gsi.de |
|---|---|
| Classification | Applications of radioactive ion beams |
