SBIR Phase I: Dose Sensor for Proton Beam Cancer Therapy

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段研究项目将开发用于离子束和质子束癌症治疗的剂量传感器。所提出的技术方法将产生紧凑、低成本、高灵敏度、高精度和良好的长期稳定性的剂量传感器。这种传感器既可用于体外应用(如射线监测、校准和控制)，也可用于体内应用(植入患者体内)，以实现对小肿瘤和晚期肿瘤的非常精确的治疗。质子束癌症治疗正迅速成为美国的主流技术，为癌症治疗提供了成功的可能性，副作用最小，对邻近健康组织的损害最小。对于成功的治疗，关键是获得适当的剂量，并将剂量定向到患者体内的特定体积。开发准确、可靠的剂量传感器对于实现对癌症组织的适当剂量和将对健康组织的剂量降至最低至关重要。体内剂量传感器的使用将使束流位置精度达到一毫米的微小分数，即使患者呼吸和心血管活动导致的不可避免的器官运动也是如此。这种提高光束位置准确性的水平将使晚期肿瘤、小肿瘤和与健康器官密切相关的肿瘤能够成功治疗。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project will develop dose sensors for use in ion beam and proton beam cancer therapy. The proposed technical approach will result in compact, low-cost dose sensors with high sensitivity, high accuracy and good long term stability. The sensors can be used for both ex-vivo applications (such as beam monitoring, calibration and control), as well as for in-vivo applications (implanted within the patient's body), to allow very precise treatment of small tumors and advanced tumors.Proton beam cancer therapy is fast becoming a mainstream technology in the US, offering the potential for successful cancer treatment, with minimal side effects and minimum damage to adjacent healthy tissue. For successful treatment, it is critical to achieve the proper dose, and to target the dose to a specific volume within the patient. The development of accurate, reliable dose sensors is critical to achieving the proper dose to cancerous tissue and minimizing the dose to healthy tissue. The use of in-vivo dose sensors will enable beam position accuracy to within small fractions of a millimeter, even with the inevitable organ movement due to patient respiration and cardiovascular action. This increased level of beam position accuracy will enable successful treatment of advanced tumors, small tumors and tumors intimately adjacent to healthy organs.