Development of Proton Bunch Monitors for Prompt Gamma-Ray Timing Based Treatment Verification

Introduction
Particle therapy emerged as a principal innovative technology for tumor treatment. However, it requires verification to exploit its full potential. Various approaches based on prompt gamma radiation were developed for range verification. Prompt gamma-ray timing (PGT), which determines the range of the therapeutic particles from time distributions of produced secondary gamma-rays, is a promising candidate for this as it is collimator-free and can be easily integrated into existing clinical beam deliveries [1]. However, phase instabilities between the accelerating radio frequency (RF) and the actual proton arrival time make phase monitoring indispensable [2]. In recent years, different concepts for proton bunch monitors (PBM) were developed [3,4]. The two most promising candidates are presented here.

Materials and Methods
A diamond detector with high radiation hardness and excellent time resolution was positioned close to the beam degrader. Protons scattered there were used to determine the phase correlation between RF and proton arrival time under realistic clinical conditions. The second monitor is a direct phasing tap on the low-level RF module of the IBA Proteus®C230 isochronous cyclotron. The correlation of both PBMs to the actual phase was checked in a scattering setup where protons from a pencil beam scattered in a thin polythene foil and then were coincidentally detected by CeBr₃-scintillators. The kinematics of this reaction makes the determination of the proton arrival time independent of the beam's bunch time spread.

Results
Both PBMs strongly correlate with the phase shift between the arrival time of the proton bunch and the RF. A model based on an over-damped, harmonic oscillator was able to describe the time-dependent change in the phase position and its correction by a control circuit with sufficient accuracy. Thus, the phase instabilities in the PGT data could be successfully corrected, enabling the improved measurement accuracy.

Summary
The phase instability of the proton bunch is the source of the greatest uncertainty of the PGT method [2]. Two PBMs were studied to correct these instabilities. PBM(s) complement the measurement setup, which should increase the sensitivity of the method and facilitate the translation of the PGT approach into clinical application.

Literature
[1] C. Golnik et al.: Range assessment in particle therapy based on prompt γ-ray timing measurements, Phys. Med. Biol. 59 (2014) 5399.
[2] T. Werner et al.: Processing of prompt gamma-ray timing data for proton range measurements at a clinical beam delivery, Phys. Med. Biol. 64 (2019) 105023.
[3] F. Permatasari: Development of a Clinically Applicable Technique for Range Verification in Proton Therapy Based on the PGT Method, PhD thesis, TU Dresden, in preparation.
[4] R.-D. Werner: Charakterisierung eines schnellen Diamantdetektors als PBM für die Reichweiteverifikation in der Protonentherapie, Masterarbeit, Universität Halle-Wittenberg, 2021.