Out-of-field dosimetry in Proton Therapy

During proton therapy treatments, a mixed secondary radiation field is generated, resulting in dose deposition beyond the target region, commonly referred to as out-of-field doses.  

Proton therapy continues to evolve with the development of new techniques, such as ConformalFLASH. This technique aims to trigger the FLASH effect through the use of ultra-high dose rates, potentially enhancing normal tissue sparing while maintaining the characteristic dose conformality of proton therapy treatments. 

This project will quantify the OOF dose generated during a pediatric ConformalFLASH treatment using Monte Carlo simulations and experimental measurements. The study will investigate both absolute doses and the contributions from individual particle types. 

The results of this project will contribute to a PhD thesis and a scientific paper.