Radioluminescence Imaging for Quantification of Dose Rate for Proton FLASH
FLASH radiation therapy (RT) is an emerging technology that uses ultra-high dose rates to treat cancer and has been shown to reduce radiation-induced damage in healthy tissues. FLASH could transform RT, compressing treatment from a few weeks into a few seconds. The goal of our project is to accurately and repeatably measure the intense radiation fields delivered with FLASH RT treatment fields so we can safely bring this new technology to the clinic. A key step in safely delivering RT is verifying that the delivered dose matches the planned dose. Currently, there is no accepted way to verify dose rate from FLASH RT treatment plans, and many commonly used radiation detectors do not function at the very high dose rates of FLASH. We are developing a cutting-edge radiation detector that uses an ultra-fast camera and allows for real-time measurement of FLASH beams to ensure that patients receive the intended treatment.
