Ponente
Descripción
Metastatic bone cancer contributes to approximately 2 to 3 million cancer-related deaths worldwide annually. Between 5% and 10% of new cancer patients will develop bone metastases. A major challenge in treating this disease is the inability to perform imaging during particle radiation therapy (PRT), due to high radiation doses from frequent scans, patient pain, and mobility constraints. Consequently, tumour imaging is typically limited to pre and post treatment assessments—often several months apart, which hinder timely treatment adjustments and personalized care.
The BoneOscopy project, funded by the European Innovation Council under Horizon Europe, seeks to transform metastatic bone cancer treatment by enabling daily, real time monitoring of tumour regression and calcium content without additional radiation exposure, using a novel prompt-gamma spectroscopy (PGS) approach. The system utilizes specific detectors, custom nanosecond electronics, and a robotic arm to perform precise spectroscopic measurements focused on calcium concentration in the bone tissue, which is the indicator of tumour regression and bone health status.
BoneOscopy’s research integrates a broad spectrum of technical and scientific expertise, as it brings together skills in bioengineering (DKFZ, Germany), the institute leader of the project, molecular imaging and robotics (CSIC, specifically i3M in Valencia, Spain), high-speed electronics (LIP, Portugal), clinical PRT experience and Monte Carlo simulation modeling (THM, Germany), medical device software, and hardware integration and mechanical design (Cosylab, Slovenia).
In its first six months, the BoneOscopy project has established the clinical contexts in which the detection system must operate. Monte Carlo simulations (via Geant4) using proton beams, modeled from the ones delivered in centres like HIT and MIT in Germany, have allowed the project team to estimate prompt gamma–ray generation under realistic clinical conditions. In parallel, simulation work has been carried out to optimize the detector’s crystal design supporting decisions on sensor types, geometric layout, and mechanical integration. With this groundwork completed, the project is ready to transition into the implementation phase.
The presentation will offer an overview of the BoneOscopy initiative, detailing the clinical environment requirements—including beam parameters, patient positioning mechanics, and expected variations in calcium concentration. It will then present comprehensive results from the simulation studies achieved with Geant4 focused on prompt-gamma generation and detection. Finally, it will include an in-depth analysis of critical detector components, particularly the crystal materials and configurations used in the primary detection system.
