VHEE (Very High Energy Electron) Radiotherapy: Focused Dose Delivery and Image Guidance

Abstract

Very high energy electrons (VHEE, 50-250 MeV) are deeply penetrating, relatively insensitive to inhomogeneities, and have limited penumbral spreading, making them a promising alternative radiation type for radiotherapy. VHEE radiotherapy is also a good candidate for FLASH radiotherapy, in which the treatment is delivered at ultra-high dose rates, promising limited toxicity to healthy tissue whilst still lethally targeting the tumour. Before VHEE can become a clinical reality, the method of dose delivery must be optimised, as VHEEs deposit a relative high dose over the width of the patient. One option is to use quadrupole magnet focusing, with the aim to reduce the entrance dose and allow for the dose to be targeted at the tumour. This is the main aim of this thesis. At present, image-guidance is used in all forms of radiotherapy and involves imaging in the treatment room to locate the tumour, verify the treatment plan and ensure correct patient positioning. For VHEE radiotherapy, the image guidance requirements and modalities have received little attention. For FLASH VHEE treatments, further complexity arises from requiring the total treatment to be delivered in

Date of Award	26 Jun 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Roger Jones (Main Supervisor), Ranald Mackay (Co Supervisor) & Marcel Van Herk (Co Supervisor)