Next generation small animal radiation research platform

项目概要 小动物辐射研究（SARR）对于人类进步至关重要 放射治疗 (RT)，作为重要的对应方，对大型研究进行全面的临床前研究 以低成本控制实验条件下的受试者数量。 SARR 依赖专用平台 以与诊所类似的方式对动物进行辐射剂量。当前一代 SARR 辐射器， 过去十年的发展，未能跟上人类 RT 技术进步的步伐。赤裸裸地 与现代 RT 治疗相反，现代 RT 治疗采用新颖的解剖和功能成像、逆向治疗计划、 通常采用强度调制传输技术来精确地形成极其保形的 由于肿瘤的剂量分布，当前 SARR 系统中的治疗形式类似于过时的 人类 RT。这种技术差距严重损害了 SARR 研究与人类 RT 的相关性，阻碍了 RT研究的探索，阻碍了SARR研究的快速开展。为解决这个问题 问题，针对PAR-15-075，该项目将开发并翻译下一代SARR平台 通过学术与工业合作伙伴关系，加入德州大学西南医学中心的医学物理学家和放射生物学家 医疗中心 (UTSW) 和 Faxitron Bioptics LLC (Faxitron) 的工程专家。开发的系统 由于其新颖的成像方法，将大大优于当前最先进的SARR平台 （双能锥形束CT和PET）、调强放射治疗、高计算量和治疗量 交付效率。这些新功能预计将通过以下方式提高 SARR 研究与人类 RT 的相关性： 提供临床质量的治疗，通过提供技术自由来支持现代 RT 的探索 实现新的成像和治疗方法，并通过增强研究效率来提高 计算速度和工作流程。我们将开展以下具体目标 (SA) 的研究： SA1：完善 硬件设计和构建硬件系统，包括机械、成像和治疗子系统。 SA2：完善软件设计并开发成像和治疗计划系统 硬件平台。 SA3：执行全面的系统测试，制定翻译计划并进行演示 通过图像引导调强肺立体定向的动物研究获得了该系统的优势 使用大鼠进行身体放射治疗。该项目的创新包括以下技术能力： 下一代 SARR 平台，以及一致的翻译活动，为最终用户提供新功能。广泛的前期研究确保了项目的可行性，研究团队将医学与 具有强大临床和研究专业知识的物理学家和放射生物学家 (UTSW) 以及具有丰富经验的工程师 (Faxitron) 丰富的商业产品开发经验。通过填补 SARR 和人类之间的关键空白 RT，开发的系统将成为临床前研究的重要组成部分，以探索 与人类放疗高度相关的新型放射治疗策略。

PROJECT SUMMARY Small Animal Radiation Research (SARR) is of paramount importance for the advancement of human radiotherapy (RT) by serving as a critical counterpart to perform comprehensive preclinical studies on a large number of subjects under controlled experimental conditions at low costs. SARR relies on dedicated platforms to administer radiation dose to animals in a similar way as in the clinic. Current-generation SARR irradiators, developed in the past decade, have failed to keep pace with technology advancements in human RT. In stark contrast to modern RT treatments where novel anatomical and functional imaging, inverse treatment planning, and intensity modulated delivery techniques are routinely employed to precisely form an extremely conformal dose distribution to the tumor, the therapeutic form in current SARR systems resembles an obsolete form of human RT. This technology disparity has substantially impaired SARR study relevance to human RT, impeded explorations in RT research, and hindered rapid conduction of SARR studies. Towards addressing this problem, in response to PAR-15-075, this project will develop and translate a next-generation SARR platform through an academic-industrial partnership, joining medical physicists and radiobiologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) with engineering experts at Faxitron Bioptics LLC (Faxitron). The developed system will be substantially superior to the current state-of-the-art SARR platform due to its novel imaging methods (dual energy cone beam CT and PET), intensity modulated radiotherapy, and high computation and treatment delivery efficiency. These novel features are expected to improve SARR research relevance to human RT by delivering treatments of clinical quality, to support exploration in modern RT by offering technical freedom to realize novel imaging and therapy approaches, and to increase research efficiency by enhancing computational speed and workflow. We will perform studies with the following specific aims (SAs): SA1: Refine hardware design and construct the hardware system including mechanical, imaging, and therapy subsystems. SA2: Refine software design and develop an imaging and treatment planning system accompanied with the hardware platform. SA3: Perform comprehensive system tests, develop a translation plan, and demonstrate achieved advantages of the system via an animal study on image-guided intensity-modulated lung stereotactic body radiotherapy using rats. The innovation of this project includes novel technological capabilities enabled by the next-generation SARR platform, as well as coherent translation activities to deliver new capabilities to endusers. Project feasibility is ensured by extensive preliminary studies, and the research team integrating medical physicists and radiobiologists (UTSW) with strong clinical and research expertise and engineers (Faxitron) with extensive commercial product development experience. By filling the critical void between SARR and human RT, the developed system will become an essential component in preclinical research for the exploration of novel radiotherapeutic strategies with high relevance to human RT.