• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.214-215
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• 2002

Generally uniform dose distribution is assumed to be formed in a target region when a conventional dose formation method using a broad proton beam, a fixed modulation technique, a bolus and an aperture is employed. However, actual situations differ. We usually find non-uniformity in the target region. This is due to the insertion of a range-compensating bolus before the patient. Since the range-compensating bolus has an irregular shape, the scattering in the bolus depends on the lateral position. Dose distribution is overlapping results of dose distribution of pencil-proton beams traversing different lateral positions of the bolus. The lateral extent of dose distribution of each pencil beam traversing the different position differs each other at the same depth in the target object. This is a cause of the non-uniformity of the dose distribution. Therefore the same lateral extent of dose distribution should be attained for different pencil beams at the same depth to obtain a uniform dose distribution. For that purpose, we propose here a bi-material bolus. The bi-material bolus consists of a low-Z material determining mainly the range loss and a high-Z material defining mainly the scattering in the bolus. After passing through the bi-material bolus, protons traversing different lateral positions will have different residual range yet with the same lateral spread at a certain depth. Using the optimized bi-material bolus, we can obtain a more uniform dose distribution in the target region as expected.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.69-71
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• 2004

The proton therapy of radiation therapy methods using Bragg Peak which is proton beam's characteristic dose distribution can give a normal tissue lower dose than cancer, comparing with the former existing radiation therapy methods. For exact treatment and patient' safety, we need to know proton beam's position in body, but a proton beam completely stops at treatment region and proton beam's range is uncertainly made by the variety of organs having each different density, so we aren't able to find a proton beam' position by suitable methods yet. With Monte Carlo Computing Method, as a result that we had simulated prompt gamma detection system using correlation of proton beam's absorbed dose distribution about water and prompt gamma distribution by nuclear interaction occurred by collisions of proton and water's hydrogen atoms, we could confirm that a proton beam's position was able to detect by using simulated prompt gamma detection system in body on the real-time

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.69-72
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• 1999

We present a method of quality assurance (QA) for dose and dose distribution anticipated in treatment planning at proton therapy using a particle-based simulation method.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.42-51
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• 2015

In proton therapy, verification of proton dose distribution is important to treat cancer precisely and to enhance patients' safety. To verify proton dose distribution, in a previous study, our team incorporated a vertically-aligned one-dimensional array detection system. We measured 2D prompt-gamma distribution moving the developed detection system in the longitudinal direction and verified similarity between 2D prompt-gamma distribution and 2D proton dose distribution. In the present, we have developed two-dimension prompt-gamma measurement system consisted of a 2D parallel-hole collimator, 2D array-type NaI(Tl) scintillators, and multi-anode PMT (MA-PMT) to measure 2D prompt-gamma distribution in real time. The developed measurement system was tested with $^{22}Na$ (0.511 and 1.275 MeV) and $^{137}Cs$ (0.662 MeV) gamma sources, and the energy resolutions of 0.511, 0.662 and 1.275 MeV were $10.9%{\pm}0.23p%$, $9.8%{\pm}0.18p%$ and $6.4%{\pm}0.24p%$, respectively. Further, the energy resolution of the high gamma energy (3.416 MeV) of double escape peak from Am-Be source was $11.4%{\pm}3.6p%$. To estimate the performance of the developed measurement system, we measured 2D prompt-gamma distribution generated by PMMA phantom irradiated with 45 MeV proton beam of 0.5 nA. As a result of comparing a EBT film result, 2D prompt-gamma distribution measured for $9{\times}10^9$ protons is similar to 2D proton dose distribution. In addition, the 45 MeV estimated beam range by profile distribution of 2D prompt gamma distribution was $17.0{\pm}0.4mm$ and was intimately related with the proton beam range of 17.4 mm.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2019

Background: To monitor proton beam in proton therapy, prompt gamma imaging systems are being developed by several research groups, and these systems are expected to improve the quality of the treatment and the patient safety. To apply the prompt gamma imaging systems into spot scanning proton therapy, the systems should be able to monitor the proton beam range of a spot with a small number of protons ( <$10^8$ protons), which is quite often not the case due to insufficient prompt gamma statistics. Materials and Methods: In the present study, we propose to improve prompt gamma statistics by merging the prompt gamma distributions of several individual spots into a new distribution. This proposal was tested by Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations for a multi-slit prompt gamma camera which has been developed to measure the proton beam range in the patient. Results and Discussion: The results show that the proposed method clearly enhance the statistical precision of beam range measurement. The accuracy of beam range verification is improved, within ~1.4 mm error, which is not achievable before applying the developed method. Conclusion: In this study, we tried to improve the statistics of the prompt gamma statistics by merging the prompt gamma distributions of multiple spots, and it was found that the merged distribution provided sufficient prompt gamma statistics and the proton beam range was determined accurately.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.521-528
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• 2016

Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) and graph searches show that proton conduction limiting barriers and trajectories in $BaZr_{0.875}Y_{0.125}O_3$ are affected by the presence of other protons. At 1000 K, KMC limiting conduction barriers increase from 0.39 eV to 0.45 eV as the proton number is increased. The proton-proton radial distribution begins to rise at $2{\AA}$ and peaks at $4{\AA}$, which is half the distance expected, based on the proton concentration. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations find proton/proton distances of 2.60 and $2.16{\AA}$ in the lowest energy two-proton configurations. A simple average of the limiting barriers for 7-10 step periodic long range paths found via graph theory at 1100 K shows an increase in activation barrier from 0.32 eV to 0.37 eV when a proton is added. Both KMC and graph theory show that protons can affect each other's pathways and raise the overall conduction barriers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.234-237
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• 1999

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2009

Micro-hole targets are studied to generate energetic protons from laser-thin foil targets by using 2-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. By using a small hole, the maximum energy of the accelerated proton is increased to 4 times higher than that from a simple planar target. The main proton acceleration mechanism of the hole-targets is the electrostatic field created between the fast electrons accelerated by the laser pulse ponderomotive force combined with the vacuum heating and the target rear surface. But in this case, the proton angular distribution shows double-peak shape, which means poor collimation and low current density. By using a small cone-shaped hole, the maximum proton energy is increased 3 times higher than that from a simple planar target. Furthermore, the angular distribution of the accelerated protons shows good collimation.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.162-168
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• 2012

In proton therapy, in vivo dose verification is one of the most important parts to fully utilize characteristics of proton dose distribution concentrating high dose with steep gradient and guarantee the patient safety. Currently, in order to image the proton dose distribution, a prompt gamma distribution detection system, which consists of an array of multiple CsI(Tl) scintillation detectors in the vertical direction, a collimator, and a multi-channel DAQ system is under development. In the present study, the optimal design of prompt gamma distribution detection system was studied by Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNPX code. For effective measurement of high-energy prompt gammas with enough imaging resolution, the dimensions of the CsI(Tl) scintillator was determined to be $6{\times}6{\times}50mm^3$. In order to maximize the detection efficiency for prompt gammas while minimizing the contribution of background gammas generated by neutron captures, the hole size and the length of the collimator were optimized as $6{\times}6mm^2$ and 150 mm, respectively. Finally, the performance of the detection system optimized in the present study was predicted by Monte Carlo simulations for a 150 MeV proton beam. Our result shows that the detection system in the optimal dimensions can effectively measure the 2D prompt gamma distribution and determine the beam range within 1 mm errors for 150 MeV proton beam.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 2013

This study was the estimation of the dose distribution for proton, prompt gamma rays and proton induced neutron particles, in case of exposing the proton beam to polymer gel dosimeter and water phantom. The polymer gel dosimeter was compositeness material of Gelatin, Methacrylic acid, Hydroquinone, Tetrakis and Distilled water. The density of gel dosimeter was $1.04g/cm^3$ which was similar to water. The 72, 116 and 140 MeV proton beams were used in the simulation. Proton beam interacted with the nuclei of the phantom and the nuclei in excited states emitted prompt gamma rays and proton induced neutron particles during the process of de-excitation. The proton particles, prompt gamma rays, proton induced neutron particles were detected by polymer gel dosimeter and water phantom, respectively. The gap of the axis for gel was 2 mm. The Bragg-peak for proton particles in gel dosimeter was similar to water phantom. The dose distribution for proton and prompt gamma rays in gel dosimeter and water phantom was approximately identical in case of 72, 116 and 140 MeV for proton beam. However, in case of proton induced neutron particles for 72, 116 and 140 MeV proton beam, particles were not detected in gel dosimeter, while the Water phantom absorbed neutron particles. Considering the resulting data, gel dosimeter which was developed in the normoxic state attentively detected the dose distribution for proton beam exposure except proton induced neutron particles.