Dosimeter for flash radiotherapy

The invention consists of a method for creating and using a dosimeter for charged particles and gamma rays capable of operating linearly when exposed to both continuous and pulsed beams at an instantaneous dose intensity range of 0.001-10 MGy/s.

The dosimeter is applicable in new types of flash radiotherapy, as well as in industrial sterilization treatments.

How does it work?

Scientific literature clearly shows that the use of ultra-high doses (> 40 Gy/s), administered in a single radiotherapy session within fractions of a second, can significantly reduce damage to healthy tissues compared to conventional fractionated radiotherapy. This innovative approach, known as FLASH therapy, has generated great interest in the scientific community and among companies in the oncology sector, stimulating intense research and development activity.

The beams used in FLASH therapy are characterized by pulses lasting a few microseconds, with repetition frequencies up to several tens of Hertz and doses per pulse ranging from a few Gy to tens of Gy.

The invention concerns the design and use of a dosimeter capable of performing linear dose measurements over a wide dose range per pulse—from fractions of Gy/pulse up to at least 30 Gy/pulse—without requiring complex or expensive manufacturing processes. The invention includes two variants of the dosimeter, made in different geometries: one cylindrical and one spherical.

Applications

• Radiotherapy;
• Industrial sterilization.

Advantages

• Simple and low-cost technology;
• Linear response;
• Isotropic response.