PromptFLASH: Real-time In-vivo FLASH dosimetry for ion beams with Prompt Gamma X-ray Spectroscopy

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Oliver Jäkel; Professor Joao Seco, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 528201597

FLASH radiotherapy demonstrates a striking biological sparing effect of normal tissues while keeping similar anti-tumor efficacy, termed the “FLASH effect”. The measurement of dose at ultra-high-dose-rates or FLASH rates is complex as dosimeters may be susceptible to saturation at ultra-high dose rates. An in-vivo method of verifying the delivered FLASH dose is currently not available. It is vital to guarantee the accuracy of the delivered dose during FLASH. The current proposal focuses on a new method for verifying delivered FLASH dose in-vivo using prompt gamma x-ray spectroscopic (PGXS) analysis of irradiated tissue, which uses Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents (GBCA) to amplify gamma/X-ray emission. A graphite calorimetry methodology will be used as absolute dose reference.

• DFG Programme: New Instrumentation for Research
• Major Instrumentation: Fiber Trigger (Large Field)