Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38597815›Full record

ArticleMedical physics2024

Secondary neutron dosimetry for conformal FLASH proton therapy.

Dixin Chen, Seyyedeh Azar Oliaei Motlagh, François Vander Stappen, Rudi Labarbe, Beryl Bell, Michele Kim, Boon-Keng Kevin Teo, Lei Dong, Wei Zou, Eric Stanton Diffenderfer

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medical physics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
4.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Deliverable proton conformal FLASH radiotherapy treatment planning for head and neck re-irradiation patients.Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Dixin ChenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Seyyedeh Azar Oliaei MotlaghDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
François Vander StappenIon Beam Applications S.A. (IBA), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Rudi LabarbeIon Beam Applications S.A. (IBA), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Beryl BellIon Beam Applications S.A. (IBA), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Michele KimDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Boon-Keng Kevin TeoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Lei DongDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Wei ZouDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Eric Stanton DiffenderferDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
University of Pennsylvania · USIon Beam Applications (Belgium) · BEUCLouvain · BE

Funding

Translational Studies in FLASH Particle RadiotherapyP01CA257904 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI Mary E. Putt · 2022 to 2026
$14.2M
IBA Proton TherapyNCI NIH HHS P01 CA257904NIH HHS P01CA257904
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCyclotron-based proton therapy systems utilize the highest proton energies to achieve an ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) for FLASH radiotherapy. The deep-penetrating range associated with this high energy can be modulated by inserting a uniform plate of proton-stopping material, known as a range shifter, in the beam path at the nozzle to bring the Bragg peak within the target while ensuring high proton transport efficiency for UHDR. Aluminum has been recently proposed as a range shifter material mainly due to its high compactness and its mechanical properties. A possible drawback lies in the fact that aluminum has a larger cross-section of producing secondary neutrons compared to conventional plastic range shifters. Accordingly, an increase in secondary neutron contamination was expected during the delivery of range-modulated FLASH proton therapy, potentially heightening neutron-induced carcinogenic risks to the patient. PURPOSE: We conducted neutron dosimetry using simulations and measurements to evaluate excess dose due to neutron exposure during UHDR proton irradiation with aluminum range shifters compared to plastic range shifters.

methodsMonte Carlo simulations in TOPAS were performed to investigate the secondary neutron production characteristics with aluminum range shifter during 225 MeV single-spot proton irradiation. The computational results were validated against measurements with a pair of ionization chambers in an out-of-field region (

resultsFor a range modulation up to 26 cm in water, the maximum simulated and measured values of out-of-field secondary neutron dose equivalent per therapeutic dose with aluminum range shifter were found to be

conclusionsWe conducted simulations and measurements of secondary neutron production under proton irradiation at FLASH energy with range shifters. We found that the secondary neutron yield increased when using aluminum range shifters compared to conventional materials while remaining well below the non-primary radiation limit constrained by the IEC regulations.

Indexed as

Monte Carlo MethodNeutronsProton TherapyRadiometryAluminumHumansRadiotherapy, ConformalRadiotherapy DosageAluminumFLASHproton therapysecondary neutron

Identifiers

PMID38597815
PMCPMC12086008
OpenAlexW4394677492

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.