Research Facility for Radiobiological Studies at the University Proton Therapy Dresden.

Purpose: In order to take full advantage of proton radiotherapy, the biological effect of protons in normal and tumor tissue should be investigated and understood in detail. The ongoing discussion on variable relative biological effectiveness along the proton depth dose distribution (eg, Paganetti 2015), and also the administration of concomitant treatments, demands dedicated in vitro trials that prepare the translation into the clinics. Therefore, a setup for radiobiological studies and the corresponding dosimetry should be established that enables in vitro experiments at a horizontal proton beam and a clinical 6 MV photon linear accelerator (Linac) as reference.

Modeling in vivo relative biological effectiveness in particle therapy for clinically relevant endpoints.

Background: The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of particle therapy compared to photon radiotherapy is known to be variable but the exact dependencies are still subject to debate. In vitro data suggested that RBE is to a large extend independent of ion type if parametrized by the beam quality Q. This study analyzed the RBE dependence of pre-clinical data on late toxicity with an emphasis on the beam quality.

Feasibility Study on Cardiac Arrhythmia Ablation Using High-Energy Heavy Ion Beams.

High-energy ion beams are successfully used in cancer therapy and precisely deliver high doses of ionizing radiation to small deep-seated target volumes. A similar noninvasive treatment modality for cardiac arrhythmias was tested here. This study used high-energy carbon ions for ablation of cardiac tissue in pigs.

Implementation of a software for REmote COMparison of PARticlE and photon treatment plans: ReCompare.

Purpose: To guarantee equal access to optimal radiotherapy, a concept of patient assignment to photon or particle radiotherapy using remote treatment plan exchange and comparison - ReCompare - was proposed. We demonstrate the implementation of this concept and present its clinical applicability.

Materials And Methods: The ReCompare concept was implemented using a client-server based software solution.

Systematic analysis on the achievable accuracy of PT-PET through automated evaluation techniques.

Introduction: Particle Therapy Positron Emission Tomography (PT-PET) is currently the only clinically applied method for in vivo verification of ion-beam radiotherapy during or close in time to the treatment. Since a direct deduction of the delivered dose from the measured activity is not feasible, images are compared to a reference distribution. The achievable accuracy of two image analysis approaches was investigated by means of reproducible phantom benchmark tests.

Concept for individualized patient allocation: ReCompare--remote comparison of particle and photon treatment plans.

Background: Identifying those patients who have a higher chance to be cured with fewer side effects by particle beam therapy than by state-of-the-art photon therapy is essential to guarantee a fair and sufficient access to specialized radiotherapy. The individualized identification requires initiatives by particle as well as non-particle radiotherapy centers to form networks, to establish procedures for the decision process, and to implement means for the remote exchange of relevant patient information. In this work, we want to contribute a practical concept that addresses these requirements.

Automated evaluation of setup errors in carbon ion therapy using PET: feasibility study.

Purpose: To investigate the possibility of detecting patient mispositioning in carbon-ion therapy with particle therapy positron emission tomography (PET) in an automated image registration based manner.

Methods: Tumors in the head and neck (H&N), pelvic, lung, and brain region were investigated. Biologically optimized carbon ion treatment plans were created with TRiP98.

Analysis of metabolic washout of positron emitters produced during carbon ion head and neck radiotherapy.

Purpose: Particle Therapy Positron Emission Tomography (PT-PET) is a suitable method for verification of therapeutic dose delivery by measurements of irradiation-induced β(+)-activity. Due to metabolic processes in living tissue β(+)-emitters can be removed from the place of generation. This washout is a limiting factor for image quality.

Using statistical measures for automated comparison of in-beam PET data.

Purpose: Positron emission tomography (PET) is considered to be the state of the art technique to monitor particle therapy in vivo. To evaluate the beam delivery the measured PET image is compared to a predicted β(+)-distribution. Nowadays the range assessment is performed by a group of experts via visual inspection.