PHASE I SBIR CONTRACT - TOPIC 415 - A Compact and Retrofittable Electronic Brachytherapy Source for Cancer Radiotherapy

电子近距离放射治疗（EB）的使用在过去十年中迅速增长， 作为一种改进的用户友好型技术，全球医学界对此很感兴趣。然而，目前的EB机器 它们都使用能量为100千伏或更低的电子束来产生X射线光子，这限制了它们在低剂量率下的使用 近距离放射治疗在这项提案中，欧几里得Beamlabs专注于开发超紧凑和重量轻的1- MeV电子源，用于生成>250 kV X射线光子并将其输送给患者。该器械预期用于改装， 现有的近距离放射治疗施源器。我们提出的加速结构是一种基于介质的加速器。因为 使用高介电常数ε，腔体的横向尺寸显著减小，变得与 铅笔的厚度。在优化的聚焦元件的帮助下，光束将通过1~2-mm的 通过将直径为100 mm的管道连接到韧致辐射靶，从而以高度局部化的方式输送剂量。的 将选择与现有近距离放射治疗施源器兼容的管道尺寸。在第一阶段，我们将开发 一个功能齐全的原型，并测量其关键参数，包括交付的电子和光子能量， 所开发技术的技术准备水平（TRL）将达到TRL 4（可行性证明） 第一阶段完成后。

The use of electronic brachytherapy (EB) has grown rapidly over the past decade, and is gaining significant interest from the global medical community as an improved user-friendly technology. However, the present EB machines all use electron beams at energies of 100 kV or less to generate the X-ray photons, which limits their use to low dose-rate brachytherapy. In this proposal, Euclid Beamlabs focuses on the development of an ultra-compact and light weight 1- MeV electron source to generate and deliver >250 kV X-ray photons to the patient. The device is intended to retrofit to existing brachytherapy applicators. Our proposed accelerating structure is a dielectric-based accelerator. Because of the use of high permittivity dielectrics, the transverse size of the cavity is significantly reduced, becoming comparable to the thickness of a pencil. With the help of optimized focusing elements, the beam will be transported through a 1~2-mm diameter pipe to the Bremsstrahlung radiation target, thus delivering the dose in a highly localized regime. The dimension of the pipe will be chosen for compatibility with existing brachytherapy applicators. In Phase I, we will develop a fully functioning prototype and measure its critical parameters, including the delivered electron and photon energies, the dose rate, etc. The Technical Readiness Level (TRL) of the developed technology will reach TRL4 (feasibility proved) upon the completion of Phase I.