Objective: The quantitative relationship between dose delivered outside the treated volume and stochastic effects is not well understood, although epidemiological evidence supports the hypothesis that low to moderate doses of ionizing radiation are associated with measurable excess risk of several types of cancer. Current studies of second primary cancer after radiotherapy demand the...
X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) is an emerging molecular imaging technique that combines high sensitivity with high spatial resolution, offering significant penetration depth in tissues while minimizing ionizing radiation exposure compared to current methods. This makes XFI a promising tool for early cancer detection and personalized treatment. The “Integrated Molecular Imaging for...
When it comes to treating cancer in critical regions such as the brain, precision is vital, as reducing margins of error can significantly decrease negative side effects of treatment. Due to their finite range and deposition profile, protons are an ideal candidate for this sort of treatment. However, this finite range of protons is both their biggest advantage and their biggest challenge, as a...
gVirtualXray for X-ray imaging simulations and education
gVirtualXray is an open-source library designed to simulate X-ray images in real time using the power of the GPU. Its core relies on the Beer–Lambert law to model the absorption of photons by three-dimensional objects, such as polygon meshes. This project has received numerous awards and recognitions related to its use in education...
In the last years there is an increasing demand for advanced medical treatments, a field where particle accelerators play a crucial role. However, their availability is significantly limited due to high maintenance and operational costs, on the one hand, and the need for advanced technology and highly skilled personnel for their design and construction, on the other. The main goal of the...
Operating medical linear accelerators (LINACs) above 6 MV generates unwanted neutrons through (γ,n) interactions with high-Z materials in the accelerator head. These secondary neutrons contribute additional dose to healthy tissues and may lead to late-onset adverse effects [1]. Moreover, the neutron yield shows high variability, depending on several factors, e.g., LINAC model, beam energy, and...
The electron LINAC ElectronFlash installed at the Institut Curie (France) is dedicated to the investigation of the FLASH effect on pre-clinical trials and radiobiology studies [1]. The accurate beam characterization is essential for a proper dose calibration. Although a few dosimeters operate under FLASH conditions, e.g., diamond [2], ultra-thin ionization chambers (UTIC) [3], and SiC-based...
The spatial distribution of energy deposition events produced by the different types of ionizing radiation is a key factor to determine their radiobiological effects at the cellular scale. The theoretical framework provided by microdosimetry has been widely employed to describe these stochastic interactions, particularly in studies addressing the characterization of Linear Energy Transfer...
