PBeam: Fast and Easy Monte Carlo System for Proton Therapy

描述(由申请人提供)： 质子疗法是目前治疗癌症的最佳方法之一。尽管蒙特卡罗(MC)模拟对质子治疗的价值已经确立，但目前还没有软件将易用性与苛刻的临床和研究应用所需的灵活性水平相结合。1995年BEAM/DOSXYZ MC的发布有效地解决了传统治疗的类似障碍，释放了大量有价值的研究项目和临床应用，但这种应用不适用于质子治疗。一种快速、易用的“BEAM/DOSXYZ for Proton”或“PBeam”将释放MC在质子治疗方面的巨大潜力。它将使研究人员和临床物理学家能够准确地确定个别患者的质子束剂量学和放射生物学方面，加快新的质子治疗计划和输送系统的设计，促进用于剂量测量的探测器和用于图像引导放射治疗的成像设备的设计，并使临床医生能够在临床实践中利用MC模拟的力量，包括为个别患者创建具有优化治疗所需的准确性和功能性的治疗计划。我们将免费为所有常见操作系统提供PBeam在线培训材料，最大限度地减少使用障碍。与公共健康相关：尽管蒙特卡罗模拟对质子治疗的价值已经确立，但目前还没有用于此目的的软件，该软件将易用性与苛刻的临床和研究应用所需的灵活性水平相结合。因此，这种有价值的计算技术仍然没有得到充分利用，难以应用，仅限于经验丰富的软件专家使用。在质子设施和质子相关研究日益增多的今天，快速且易于使用的“质子束”将释放蒙特卡罗在质子治疗中的巨大潜力，帮助研究人员研究质子束的剂量学和放射生物学方面，帮助他们改进质子输送、治疗计划和验证，并帮助临床医生在常规临床实践中利用蒙特卡罗模拟的力量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Proton therapy is one of the best methods available for treating cancer. While the value of Monte Carlo (MC) simulation for proton therapy is well established, there exists no software that combines ease-of-use with the level of flexibility needed for demanding clinical and research applications. The release of the BEAM/DOSXYZ MC in 1995 effectively addressed a similar barrier for conventional therapy, releasing a flood of valuable research projects and clinical applications, but this application does not work for proton therapy. A fast, easy-to-use "BEAM/DOSXYZ for Protons" or "PBeam" will unlock great potential for MC in proton therapy. It will enable researchers and clinical physicists to accurately determine dosimetric and radiobiological aspects of proton beams for individual patients, accelerate design of new proton treatment planning and delivery systems, facilitate design of detectors for dose measurement and imaging devices for image- guided radiotherapy, and provide clinicians with the capability to exploit the power of MC simulation in clinical practice, including the creation of treatment plans for individual patients with the accuracy and functionality required to optimize treatment. We will provide PBeam free of charge, for all common operating systems, with online training materials, minimizing barriers to use. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: While the value of Monte Carlo simulation for proton therapy is well established, there exists no software for this purpose that combines ease-of-use with the level of flexibility needed for demanding clinical and research applications. Consequently, this valuable calculation technique remains underutilized, difficult to apply and restricted to use by highly experienced software experts. With today's climate of increasing numbers of proton facilities and proton-related research, a fast and easy-to-use "PBeam" will unlock great potential for Monte Carlo in proton therapy, helping researchers study dosimetric and radiobiological aspects of proton beams, helping them improve proton delivery, treatment planning and validation and helping clinicians exploit the power of Monte Carlo simulation in routine clinical practice.