SMART PARTICLE DETECTOR FOR HADRON THERAPY

Hadrontherapy | Particle Tracking | Residual range measurement | Scintillating optical fibers | Smart read-out compression

INTRODUCTION

The invention relates to particle detectors based on scintillating fibers. The combination of an innovative routing scheme of the fibers and a read-out channel compression system allows the design of innovative, low cost and high performance trackers and residual energy detectors which constitute the building block of particle radiography, tomography or beam qualification in hadron-therapy.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

The maximum advantage from using charged particle beams in hadron-therapy, or in different fields of application, is reached when the stopping power of the particles is known with high precision. The direct use of this information leads to a more accurate evaluation of the distribution of the dose. The present invention relates to a method and two devices, explicitly designed for particle imaging applications in beam diagnostics and monitoring. The use of scintillating fibers for the design of beam monitor and residual range detectors is advantageous because of the fast response and water equivalence. The developed technology exploit all these performances and add a smart read-out strategy. The architecture of these innovative detectors is thought as modular and the devices can work in combined modalities between them and other detectors. The real time performances allow the interface to beam control systems.

POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS

Beam monitor and diagnostics;
Beam qualification in hadron-therapy;
Particle radiography;
Read-out channel reduction;
Particle Trackers;
Residual range detectors.

ADVANTAGES

Large area, suitable for any medical imaging application, up to 40×40 cm2;
High spatial resolution, up to 100 mm;
Water equivalent;
Real time;
Modular and compact;
Cost effective.

PATENT INFORMATION

PATENT OWNER

Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare

PATENT STATUS

Registered

PRIORITY NUMBER

RM2012A000273

PRIORITY DATE

12/06/2012

LICENSE

Europe

COMMERCIAL RIGHTS

Exclusive

AVAILABILITY

Available

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