By 2021, more than 300,000 patients have received treatment with proton and carbon ion therapies. Worldwide, there are approximately 120 particle treatment facilities in operation, with another 65 under construction or within the planning phase. Charged particle therapies offer several advantages over traditional photon-based therapies, including improved radiobiological effects and highly desirable dose deposition characteristics. However, one of the biggest challenges in particle therapy is range control of protons, helium ions, and carbon ions in human tissues. Uncertainties in tissue composition and changes in tissue depth can lead to changes in particle range, which can result in tumor under-dose or normal tissue overdose and unwanted radiation induced complications.
Prompt gamma imaging (PGI) is a very promising technique to tackle range uncertainties. PGI consists of the detection of gamma rays emitted from excited nuclei following particle interaction. Several approaches have been proposed to implement PGI in the clinical workflow, including (but not limited to) slit and pinhole cameras, scintillation detectors, and Compton cameras. Some centers have begun to incorporate these detector systems into clinical practice to reduce range uncertainties in patient treatment; nevertheless, this technique largely remains in the research and development domain.
The goal of this Research Topic is to widen the scope of PGI and involve more researchers in the medical physics community to leverage new technologies and approaches and boost the interest for PGI within our field. This Research Topic welcomes all articles related to PGI, including development, novel techniques, and clinical implementation.
By 2021, more than 300,000 patients have received treatment with proton and carbon ion therapies. Worldwide, there are approximately 120 particle treatment facilities in operation, with another 65 under construction or within the planning phase. Charged particle therapies offer several advantages over traditional photon-based therapies, including improved radiobiological effects and highly desirable dose deposition characteristics. However, one of the biggest challenges in particle therapy is range control of protons, helium ions, and carbon ions in human tissues. Uncertainties in tissue composition and changes in tissue depth can lead to changes in particle range, which can result in tumor under-dose or normal tissue overdose and unwanted radiation induced complications.
Prompt gamma imaging (PGI) is a very promising technique to tackle range uncertainties. PGI consists of the detection of gamma rays emitted from excited nuclei following particle interaction. Several approaches have been proposed to implement PGI in the clinical workflow, including (but not limited to) slit and pinhole cameras, scintillation detectors, and Compton cameras. Some centers have begun to incorporate these detector systems into clinical practice to reduce range uncertainties in patient treatment; nevertheless, this technique largely remains in the research and development domain.
The goal of this Research Topic is to widen the scope of PGI and involve more researchers in the medical physics community to leverage new technologies and approaches and boost the interest for PGI within our field. This Research Topic welcomes all articles related to PGI, including development, novel techniques, and clinical implementation.
