Monte Carlo simulations of magnetic field effects on proton dose distributions in a 1T measurement setup

For an integration of proton therapy and magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI), mutual effects of these two modalities need to be assessed. We studied the magnetic field-induced proton beam deflection as well as the radiation-induced activation and demagnetization of the magnet material by simulating irradiation experiments with a realistic magnet.

Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations were performed for 80-180 MeV proton pencil beams traversing the 0.95 T transverse magnetic field of a dipole magnet. A PMMA slab phantom containing a radiochromic EBT3 film was placed between the magnetic poles, such that the incident beams were stopped in the film plane (Fig. 1). The magnetic field was modelled using 3D finite-elements and validated by magnetometry. Beam trajectories were analyzed from the film’s planar dose distributions. Upper bounds for radioactivation were deduced by analyzing the most common mother nuclides, and demagnetization was assessed by relating the simulated magnet dose to previously published data.

Considerable magnetic field-induced dose distortions can be observed from the planar dose distributions, as depicted for a 140 MeV beam in Fig 2. Lateral displacement of the Bragg peak ranged from 1-11 mm for 80-180 MeV beams. Initial activation of the magnet material was less than 25 kBq, and the mean dose to the magnet poles was ~20 μGy when delivering a dose of 2Gy at the Bragg peak to the film.
These results indicate that the Lorentz force-induced dose distortions are substantial, and measurable with the presented setup. Radiation-induced activation and demagnetization effects are small but should be monitored during the irradiation experiments.