In vivo verification of radiation dose delivered in particle therapies

System that enables the measurement and verification of the radiation dose received by a patient following proton or helium ion therapy. It uses PET and the natural production of F-18 in tissues, offering applications in oncology and clinical safety.

Market need: Proton and heavy ion therapy offers high precision, but small variations in positioning or organ movement can alter the actual dose administered. Currently, there are no reliable methods for in vivo dose verification in patients after particle therapy. The lack of control can compromise the safety of the procedure and clinical efficacy, especially in tumours close to critical organs. For this reason, the system developed allows for more precise implementation of these new proton and heavy ion therapies.

Proposed solution: A method and system is presented that uses PET images to measure the distribution of naturally occurring F-18 in irradiated tissues. The procedure takes advantage of isotopes present in the body, avoiding the need for external materials. The feasibility of detecting low concentrations of F-18 with high-sensitivity PET equipment has been demonstrated. This new system has proven applications in dose verification in proton and helium treatments, especially in brain tumours. It enables real-time monitoring and improvement of clinical protocols in oncology.

Competitive advantages

In vivo verification of the administered dose, which is not currently available on the market.
Exclusive use of natural tissue isotopes, without the need for external agents, providing greater safety and precision in the administration of particle therapies.
Adaptability to different modalities (protons and helium) and integration with already available clinical PET equipment.
Mejora del control de dosis en órganos en riesgo afectados por movimiento (respiración, latido, desplazamiento).
Improved dose control in organs at risk affected by pacient´s movements.