Cherenkov imaging for total skin electron therapy: an evaluation of dose uniformity

Abstract

Total Skin Electron Therapy (TSET) utilizes high-energy electrons to treat cancers on the entire body surface. The otherwise invisible radiation beam can be observed via the optical Cherenkov photons emitted from interaction between the high-energy electron beam and tissue. Cherenkov emission can be used to evaluate the dose uniformity on the surface of the patient in real-time using a time-gated intensified camera system. Each patient was monitored during TSET by in-vivo detectors (IVD) as well as Scintillators. Patients undergoing TSET in various conditions (whole body and half body) were imaged and analyzed. A rigorous methodology for converting Cherenkov intensity to surface dose as products of correction factors, including camera vignette correction factor, incident radiation correction factor, and tissue optical properties correction factor. A comprehensive study has been carried out by inspecting various positions on the patients such as vertex, chest, perineum, shins, and foot relative to the umbilicus point (the prescription point).