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TU‐D‐BRA‐04: Laser‐Accelerated Protons for Radiation Therapy
Author(s) -
Fourkal E
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.2761401
Subject(s) - laser , proton therapy , proton , range (aeronautics) , photon , physics , medical physics , radiation , nuclear physics , optics , atomic physics , materials science , composite material
Recent developments in the field of laser engineering, specifically the invention of chirped pulse amplification technique made it possible to achieve laser light intensities reaching 10 22 W/cm 2 range. In this review, we will show that such laser intensities are sufficient to accelerate protons to therapeutic energy ranges, provided that proper laser‐target parameters are chosen. In the majority of recent laser‐matter interaction experiments, the proton energy spectra coming out of the interaction chamber are thermal making it impossible to use these protons in hadron therapy. This necessitates the development of a particle selection device that would deliver quasi‐monoenergetic particles suitable for medical applications. We will discuss earlier proposed particle selection system and show the dosimetric characteristics of protons coming out of this device. Using “real” patient data and physical characteristics (phase‐space distribution) of selected particles we will discuss the inter‐comparison studies between photon intensity‐modulated plans on one hand and intensity‐modulated plans based on laser‐accelerated protons on the other. In concluding remarks, we will describe the current challenges facing the project and ways to resolve them.