Active spot-scanning test with heavy ions at HIRFL-CSR

An active spot beam delivery system for heavy ion therapy has been developed based on the Cooling Storage Ring at HIRFL-CSR, where the pencil carbon-ion beams were scanned within a target volume transversely by a pair of orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) dipole magnets to paint the slices of the target volume and longitudinally by active energy variation of the synchrotron slice by slice. The unique techniques such as dose shaping via active energy variation and magnetic deflection constitute a promising three-dimensional conformal even intensity-modulated radiotherapy with heavy ions at HIRFL-CSR. In this paper, the verification of active energy variation and the calibration of steerable beam deflection are shown, as the basic functionality components of the active spot-scanning system. Additionally, based on the capability of creating homogeneous irradiation fields with steerable pencil beams, a radiobiological experiment like cell survival measurement has been performed aiming at comparison of the radiobiological effects under active and passive beam deliveries.     

HIRFL装置主动式点扫描束流配送系统的Monte Carlo模拟优化

为获得适用于HIRFL 装置主动式点扫描束流配送系统配送的碳离子束,利用Monte Carlo (MC) 工具SHIELD-HIT12A 研究了配送距离和微型脊形过滤器结构周期对治疗室等中心处束斑半高宽(FWHM) 和剂量平坦度的影响。模拟研究发现:束流配送距离越短,束斑FWHM越小,但剂量平坦度越差;微型脊形滤器结构周期是影响剂量平坦度的关键因素,周期越小,剂量平坦度越好。通过模拟研究得出:在HIRFL装置重离子治疗终端将真空窗设置在距等中心距离小于125 cm 时,采用结构周期为2 mm微型脊形过滤器可以满足主动式点扫描照射对束斑FWHM和剂量平坦度的要求。To obtain carbon ion beams suitable for the active spot scanning beam delivery system at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL), the Monte Carlo program SHIELD-HIT12A was used to study the influences of beam delivery distance and structure period of mini ridge filter on full width at the half maximum (FWHM) of beam spot and dose flatness at the isocenter of the treatment room. The present simulation study shows that the shorter was the beam delivery distance, the smaller was the FWHM of beam spot, but the worse was the dose flatness. The structure period of mini ridge filter was a key factor to account for the dose flatness at the isocenter. The smaller was the structure period of mini ridge filter, the better was the dose flatness. Based on the simulation results, we conclude that 2 mm structure period for a mini ridge filter statisfies the requirements on the FWHM of beam spot and dose flatness at the isocenter for the active spot scanning beam delivery system at HIRFL when the distance between the vacuum window and the isocenter is set shorter than 125 cm in the nozzle.     

重离子放射治疗双微小展宽峰组合照射方法

在基于被动式束流配送系统的分层适形重离子治疗当中,需要利用微型脊形过滤器（mini ridge filter,mini-RF）将单能重离子束Bragg峰展宽为峰区近似高斯分布的微小展宽峰（mini spread-out Bragg peak,mini-SOBP）,从而达到减少照射分层数及照射时间的目的。采用较宽的mini-SOBP可以有效减少照射分层数,但会增大展宽Bragg峰（SOBP）远端剂量跌落距离,增加对靶区后方正常组织或危及器官的辐照剂量。这一问题可以通过双mini-SOBP的组合照射方法来解决。使用2种mini-RF对单能重离子束Bragg峰略微展宽得到2种半高宽（FWHM）且剂量分布近似高斯分布的mini-SOBP,通过基于放射生物学模型的剂量优化,证实了在SOBP平顶区按生物有效剂量均匀和物理吸收剂量均匀的展宽情况下,双mini-SOBP组合照射方法均可以在减少照射分层数的同时较大幅度地减小SOBP远端剂量跌落距离。In layer-stacking conformal heavy-ion therapy based on passive beam delivery system,it is necessary to minimize the layer numbers and reduce irradiation time for layer-stacking conformal heavy-ion therapy.Gaussian shaped mini spread-out Bragg peaks (mini-SOBP) were generated by mini ridge filters (mini-RF) for monoenergetic heavy ion beams.It is effective to minimize the layer number by using mini-SOBPs with the bigger full width at the half maximum (FWHM),but in this way the distal dose fall-off distance of a spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) will be enlarged,increasing the radiation damage to normal tissue or organ at risk behind the target volume.This issue could be solved by using mini-SOBPs based combinatorial irradiation method.In this study,Gaussian shaped mini-SOBPs with two different FWHMs were generated by two different mini-RFs for monoenergetic heavy ion beams.Based on radiobiological model calculations and dose optimizations,the mini-SOBPs based combinatorial irradiation method was confirmed to reduce the distal dose fall-off distances of SOBPs while minimizing the layer numbers for layer-stacking conformal heavy-ion therapy.     

均匀磁场下碳离子笔形束的剂量变化分析及位置修正方法

分析外加均匀磁场对于碳离子笔形束剂量分布的影响,并考虑修正这种影响,为磁共振成像引导碳离子放射治疗的临床应用提供指导。本文利用蒙特卡罗方法模拟计算了不同能量碳离子笔形束在不同强度磁场下的剂量分布情况,发现垂直于碳离子束入射方向的均匀磁场对于碳离子笔形束射程缩短的影响很小,磁场对碳离子束的主要影响是引起束流横向偏转,特别是碳离子束布拉格峰位置的横向侧移。横向侧移程度与碳离子束的能量和磁场强度相关,根据模拟结果,得到了一个计算碳离子束布拉格峰在磁场中相对横向偏转的方程,并提出一种校正外加磁场引起的碳离子束布拉格峰横移的角度修正方法。这些结果可用于指导磁共振图像引导碳离子放射治疗计划系统的研发。     

Mini‐beam collimator enables microcrystallography experiments on standard beamlines

The high‐brilliance X‐ray beams from undulator sources at third‐generation synchrotron facilities are excellent tools for solving crystal structures of important and challenging biological macromolecules and complexes. However, many of the most important structural targets yield crystals that are too small or too inhomogeneous for a `standard' beam from an undulator source, ～25–50 µm (FWHM) in the vertical and 50–100 µm in the horizontal direction. Although many synchrotron facilities have microfocus beamlines for other applications, this capability for macromolecular crystallography was pioneered at ID‐13 of the ESRF. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences and National Cancer Institute Collaborative Access Team (GM/CA‐CAT) dual canted undulator beamlines at the APS deliver high‐intensity focused beams with a minimum focal size of 20 µm × 65 µm at the sample position. To meet growing user demand for beams to study samples of 10 µm or less, a `mini‐beam' apparatus was developed that conditions the focused beam to either 5 µm or 10 µm (FWHM) diameter with high intensity. The mini‐beam has a symmetric Gaussian shape in both the horizontal and vertical directions, and reduces the vertical divergence of the focused beam by 25%. Significant reduction in background was achieved by implementation of both forward‐ and back‐scatter guards. A unique triple‐collimator apparatus, which has been in routine use on both undulator beamlines since February 2008, allows users to rapidly interchange the focused beam and conditioned mini‐beams of two sizes with a single mouse click. The device and the beam are stable over many hours of routine operation. The rapid‐exchange capability has greatly facilitated sample screening and resulted in several structures that could not have been obtained with the larger focused beam.     

Developing a mailed phantom to implement a local QA program in Egypt radiotherapy centers

In this work, a simple method that differs from the IAEA/WHO Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) postal quality assurance (QA) program is developed. A small perspex; polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), phantom measured 50?mm?×?50?mm?×?50?mm is constructed to be used for absorbed dose verification of high-energy photon beams in some major radiotherapy centers in Egypt. The phantom weighted only 140.7?g with two buildup covers weighted 14.8 and 43.19?g for the Cobalt-60 and the 6-MV X-ray beams, respectively. This phantom is aimed for use in the future’s external audit/QA services in Egypt for the first time. TLD-700 chips are used for testing and investigating a convenient and national dosimetry QA program. Although the used methodology is comparable to previously introduced but new system; it has smaller size, less weight, and different more available material. Comparison with the previous similar designs is introduced. Theoretical calculations were done by the commercial Eclipse treatment planning system, implementing the pencil beam convolution algorithm to verify the accuracy of the experimental calculation of the dose conversion factor of water to the perspex phantom. The new constructed small phantom and methodology was applied in 10 participating radiotherapy centers. The absorbed dose was verified under the reference conditions for both ⁶⁰Co and 6-MV high-energy photon beams. The checked beams were within the 5% limit except for four photon beams. There was an agreement of 0.2% between our experimental data and those previously published confirming the validity of the applied method in verifying radiotherapy absorbed dose.     

基于双柱透镜慢轴准直激光二极管堆栈光束匀化系统

为实现高功率激光二极管堆栈光束的匀化与整形,提出基于双柱透镜慢轴准直的匀化系统。利用双柱透镜实现对高填充因子激光二极管慢轴方向光束发散角度的压缩,降低成像型多孔径光束积分器中微透镜的数值孔径,减小匀化系统体积。通过三个限定条件确定了双柱透镜参数取值范围,并通过像差分析对双柱透镜进行了优化,实现慢轴方向光束剩余发散角度1.74。结合成像型多孔径光束积分器,设计了激光二极管堆栈的匀化系统,并进行了实验测试。实验结果表明,在中心光斑尺寸约为6 mm6 mm范围内,光斑不均匀性为8.11%。     

重离子加速器示范装置被动式束流配送系统次级中子特征的蒙特卡罗研究

在碳离子放射治疗中,碳离子束在剂量配送过程中会与束流输运线相互作用,形成以中子辐射为主的外辐射场.由于中子是高LET射线,具有较高的相对生物学效应,减少碳离子放疗中产生的次级中子有助于降低放疗后正常组织并发症几率及二次肿瘤风险.利用蒙特卡罗方法对保守情况(能量为400 MeV/u,多叶光栅完全闭合)下碳离子治疗被动式束...     

面向HIRFL-CSR主动式点扫描技术的剂量标定方法研究(英文)

基于HIRFL-CSR肿瘤重离子治疗终端主动式束流配送系统发展了面向三维点扫描适形调强治疗技术的在线监测器点扫描剂量标定方法。为了验证点扫描剂量标定方法的稳定性和可靠性,利用HIRFL-CSR提供的C离子束考察了在线监测器剂量标定因子的能量依赖以及不同扫描步长的影响。结果表明:在线监测器剂量标定因子存在能量依赖;不同扫描步长对剂量标定因子影响较小（偏差小于1.8%）。证明了点扫描剂量标定方法的稳定性和可靠性。鉴于在三维点扫描适形调强治疗技术中影响在线监测器点扫描剂量标定因子的因素较多,建议今后续继续研究点扫描剂量标定因子影响因素,修正和完善点扫描剂量标定方法。As an important step of the application of spot scanning technique to heavy ion therapy, an experimental calibration procedure of online beam monitors based on standard of absorbed dose to water has recently been developed for scanned pencil like carbon ion beam in the deep seated tumor therapy terminal at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL). In this work, creating homogeneous irradiation field with steerable spot beam was tested using a 207 MeV/u penci like carbon ion beam. Then the verification of energy dependence of the calibration factors (CFs) and the influence of scanning step on the CF were also shown, as a part of the heavy ion clinic dosimetry researches. The results showd that the monitor CF presented energy dependence and performed stable response with deviation of 1.8% for the variation of scan steps. In this paper, the suitability and effectiveness of beam monitor calibration procedure for dynamic particle beam delivery were verified and the further research points to improve the calibration procedure were suggested.     

Dark-spot formation by vector beams

Dark-spot formation is demonstrated by calculating electric-field distribution near the focus produced by focusing higher-order transverse-mode vector beams with radial and azimuthal polarizations in addition to Laguerre-Gaussian beams with linear and circular polarizations. The size of the dark spot in the radial direction varies from one beam to another, but the size in the axial direction is almost the same. The radially polarized TM02-mode beam is predicted to form a dark spot solely by an axial electric field.     

30 MeV电子束轰击旋转钽靶产生轫致辐射分析

提出了一种基于射频直线加速器的多脉冲X光照相系统,有望用于材料动态性能诊断等流体物理动力学研究。基于射频加速器的特点,该套照相系统能够产生时间跨度10 s以上、数个脉冲间隔可调、脉宽为几十至一百ns的脉冲电子束,产生电子束束斑半高宽尺寸小于1 mm。通过蒙特卡罗模拟程序Geant4,分析计算了特定的几何布局以及不同厚度及电子束束斑条件下,电子束打靶后在靶中的能量沉积,靶中的电子束散射对X光焦斑的影响,以及1 m处的照射量,探讨了这套X光照相系统的应用可行性。结果表明,在30 MeV,400 nC电子束轰击厚度为1 mm的靶条件下,1 m处照射量约为9.1 R,靶厚在1~2 mm范围内并未引起X光焦斑的明显增大。较小横向尺寸的电子束会引起靶体局部升温严重,将会制约脉冲数量;采用旋转靶能够提升脉冲数量,通过分析二维旋转靶的应力,分析了靶材升温以及钽/钽合金屈服强度对脉冲间隔的限制作用。     

强紫外激光在空气中长程传输受激旋转拉曼散射效应

 采用瞬态受激旋转拉曼散射（SRRS）模型，详细考虑了激光脉冲波形、介质的非线性极化、泵浦光的衰减、斯托克斯光的非线性放大以及拉曼线宽等诸多因素，对强紫外激光束在空气中长程传输过程产生的SRRS效应进行了研究。讨论了产生SRRS效应的阈值条件，详细分析了SRRS效应对激光光束质量的影响。     

重离子治疗肿瘤点扫描控制系统

为了实现重离子治疗肿瘤点扫描,对扫描磁铁进行相应的控制。治疗计划进行剂量与肿瘤适形数据的生成,并传输至点扫描控制器与剂量控制器。同时也向点扫描控制器中存入事例数据,以纳入整个加速器控制时序,等待同步时间事例系统的事例触发。点扫描控制器根据剂量控制器的脉冲控制换点治疗操作以及进行换点治疗的扫描磁铁插值算法平滑处理。剂量控制器对气体电离室前端电子学已经刻度的剂量脉冲进行计数。当达到治疗剂量时,控制法拉第筒来阻挡束流,实现点扫描安全治疗。实验证明在现有的电源与磁铁等设备条件以及束流品质下,点扫描控制系统能实现2mm点间距扫描。     

高能多脉冲辐射照相的复合靶物理分析

 介绍了电子束与钽靶相互作用的能量沉积解析理论和（钽-碳）复合靶的设计。单靶的某个区域内形成的高温等离子体沿轴的2个方向(±z)溅射而使单靶穿孔,大焦斑束形成较小的孔,小焦斑下靶孔较大而相对光滑。复合靶或修正复合靶可以经受2~3个束脉冲的连续照射。蒙卡模拟计算表明,复合靶或修正复合靶的焦斑尺寸与单靶相同,可用于多脉冲闪光照相。     

Beam spot size evolution of Gaussian femtosecond pulses after angular dispersion

Beam spot size evolution of spatially Gaussian femtosecond laser pulses after angular dispersion is analyzed and verified with experiments. A general analytical expression for beam spot size at arbitrary propagation distances is obtained, which indicates that beam spot size evolution after angular dispersion is determined by the direct interaction of spectral lateral walk-off by angular dispersion and the intrinsic divergence of the Gaussian beam. This work reveals insights into the propagation of Gaussian femtosecond laser pulses and beams after angular dispersion and may be important for the generation and application of femtosecond laser pulses.     

Scattering of a general partially coherent beam from a diffuse target in atmospheric turbulence

The second-order and fourth-order statistical moments of the speckle field from a diffuse target in atmospheric turbulence are studied which have great influence on the performance of lidar systems. By expanding a general rotationally symmetric beam as a sum of Gaussian–Schell model(GSM) beams, the mean intensity of the general beam propagating over a distance in an atmospheric turbulence is formulated. Expressions for the degree of coherence(DOC) and the normalized intensity variance of the scattered field of a general beam from a rough surface in turbulence are derived based on the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle. The general expressions reduce to the well-known forms for a GSM beam. Another example for the general beam used in this paper is the collimated flat-topped beam. The results of both kinds of beams show that the intensity profile on the target plane is a key factor affecting the statistical characteristics of the speckle field.A larger beam spot on the target plane induces a smaller coherence length and a smaller normalized intensity variance of the received field. As turbulence gets stronger, the coherence length becomes smaller, and the normalized intensity variance firstly increases and declines to unity finally.     

碳离子束射程快速验证方法的蒙特卡罗模拟研究

可通过楔形装置把离子束(质子和重离子)纵向上的的深度剂量分布转换成横向上的剂量分布,进行离子束射程的快速测量及验证。本工作通过基于GEANT4内核的GATE蒙特卡罗模拟平台,模拟计算了不同能量碳离子束在用于制作楔形装置的铜、铝、铁和有机玻璃等材料中的深度剂量分布,得到不同能量碳离子束在不同材料中Bragg峰位所处深度与能量之间的关系;模拟计算了不同能量碳离子束穿越单楔板、双楔板和大小组合楔板等楔形装置后横向上的剂量分布,得到了横向剂量峰值出现位置与碳离子束射程之间的关系。本文蒙特卡罗模拟研究为进一步开发重离子治疗当中的射程快速验证方法与设备奠定了坚实的基础。     

螺线管场下强流相对论电子束焦斑尺寸的限制

 分析了螺线管场下影响强流相对论电子束聚焦的主要因素,并给出了各影响因素所限制的最小焦斑。计算结果表明,当发射度和能散度的值分别控制在0.397mm× rad和1%以内, 单个螺线管磁轴的偏心不大于0.54mrad,初始注入束偏心不大于1mrad时,对于20MeV、3kA的电子束和15MeV、2.5kA的电子束,最终打靶束焦斑均可小于1.5mm。     

Small field size dose-profile measurements using gel dosimeters,gafchromic films and micro-thermoluminescent dosimeters

The introduction of mini-multi-leaf collimators (MMLC) into radiotherapy has seen the use of smaller field sizes become increasingly important. Small field sizes that tightly conform to precise target regions are sought in radiotherapy to deliver doses with a high therapeutic ratio. MMLCs have made it possible to shrink field sizes in radiotherapy to below half a centimetre. The dosimetry of such fields with conventional dosimeters such as gas-ionisation chambers is not feasible due to limitations caused by the chambers relatively large size compared to the size of the collimated beam. In this work, the dose distribution of radiotherapy beams collimated to such small sizes were examined using polyacrylamide gels dosimeters, Gafchromic films and micro-thermoluminescence dosimeters (micro-TLDs). Dose penumbra widths obtained with gel dosimeters, Gafchormic film and micro-TLDs were generally in agreement with each other, although a wider FWHM of the field was measured with gel in comparison to film. An asymmetric dose distribution between the two axis profiles of a 3 × 3 mm collimated field was observed and can be attributed to an inherent asymmetry of the MMLC.