Monte Carlo simulations of a novel Micromegas 2D array for proton dosimetry

Phys Med Biol. 2016 Feb 21;61(4):1563-72. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/61/4/1563. Epub 2016 Jan 27.

Abstract

Modern proton therapy affords control of the delivery of radiotherapeutic dose on fine length and temporal scales. The authors have developed a novel detector technology based on Micromesh Gaseous Structure (Micromegas) that is uniquely tailored for applications using therapeutic proton beams. An implementation of a prototype Micromegas detector for Monte Carlo using Geant4 is presented here. Comparison of simulation results with measurements demonstrates agreement in relative dose along the proton longitudinal dose profile to be 1%. The effect of a radioactive calibration source embedded in the chamber gas is demonstrated by measurements and reproduced by simulations, also at the 1% level. Our Monte Carlo simulations are shown to reproduce the time structure of ionization pulses produced by a double-scattering delivery system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calibration
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Proton Therapy / instrumentation
  • Proton Therapy / methods*
  • Protons*
  • Radiometry / methods
  • Radiometry / standards

Substances

  • Protons