Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42465350›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2026

Dosimetric Characterization and Workflow Optimization of the FLASH-SARRP for Reliable Preclinical Radiobiological Studies.

Michèle Knol, Patrik Gonçalves-Jorge, Louis V Kunz, Pierre Korysko, Benoît Petit, André Durham, Marie-Catherine Vozenin, Pelagia Tsoutsou, Nikolaos Koutsouvelis, Julie Lascaud

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Michèle KnolLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0009-0005-9688-6110
Patrik Gonçalves-JorgeLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Louis V KunzLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0009-0008-6526-6025
Pierre KoryskoUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-7878-2298
Benoît PetitLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0009-0003-9397-4583
André DurhamLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-5875-0301
Marie-Catherine VozeninLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-2109-8073
Pelagia TsoutsouLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-6490-9278
Nikolaos KoutsouvelisLiRR - Laboratory of innovation in Radiobiology applied to Radiotherapy/ Faculty of Medicine/ University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-9343-8540
Julie LascaudDepartment of Medical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7649-6909

Funding

Improving pediatric brain tumor treatments using FLASH radiotherapyR01CA254892 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI Charles Limoli · 2021 to 2026
$2.5M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA254892
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: Preclinical small-animal irradiators such as the FLASH-SARRP can support the advancement of photon-FLASH toward the clinic. This study aimed at characterizing the FLASH-SARRP and established a robust quality assurance (QA) workflow to enable accurate and reproducible preclinical experiments. Approach: Custom 3D-printed spacers were designed to ensure reproducible X-ray tube alignment, sample positioning and mounting of the dosimetric tools. Beam characteristics were evaluated using a combined dosimetric approach. High spatially resolved dose distributions were obtained from Gafchromic films, whereas a plastic scintillating fiber was employed to monitor in real-time the temporal pulse structure and synchronization between the two X-ray tubes. Day-to-day variability of the delivery was evaluated over several sessions. Main results: The FLASH-SARRP achieved dose-rates of around 80 Gy/s when both tubes were used simultaneously and provided a homogeneous irradiation field suitable for small-animal studies. A desynchronization between the two tubes was observed with an average delay of 10 ms, resulting in temporal dose-rate heterogeneity. Additionally, a substantial inter-session variability (~11%) was found, whereas the intra-session variability was relatively low (~4%). Inter-session variability was reduced to 5%, approaching the intra-session variability, by adding Gafchromic films/scintillator-based quality assurance (QA) workflow into the irradiation routine. Significance: This work highlights the importance of temporal dosimetry for preclinical FLASH studies. Additionally, a practical QA framework is proposed integrating real-time monitoring with reference dosimetry. The proposed work enables adaptive dose delivery, thereby enhancing the reproducibility of the irradiations, which is crucial for reliable preclinical studies on the FLASH effect.

Indexed as

Dosimetric characterizationFLASH radiotherapyFLASH-SARRPPreclinical radiobiology studiesQA workflowScintillating fiber

Identifiers

PMID42465350
PMCPMC13370466

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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.