Objective
Continuous advances in radiotherapy techniques and equipment impose a need for improved dosimetric systems for radiotherapy applications. The aim of the project is to develop a high precision system for real time in vivo radiation source beam verification in a promising area of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). The system will also provide the means for real time in vivo radiation dose measurements during conventional external beam radiotherapy and brachy therapy. The Sensor Unit will comprise MOSFET sensors (RADFETs), interconnected and packaged using novel techniques in several forms suitable for in vivo internal or external dose monitoring. A microprocessor controlled Read-out Unit will communicate with and retrieve data from the Sensor Unit. A dedicated user-friendly PC Software Interface will provide INVORAD system control, connectivity to other parts of an overall radiotherapy system and patient specific data storage.
Objectives:
The Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) is a major recent advance in the field of radiotherapy, offering a new hope for winning the war against cancer. In IMRT, rather than being treated with a single, large, uniform radiation beam, the patient is treated instead with many very small beams of different intensity. By cross firing the tumour with these beams, a relatively uniform radiation dose is delivered to the tumour, and healthy surrounding tissue and risk organs are spared from high dose. While a great deal of effort is being put into improving treatment planning, driver software and treatment delivery devices, there is a very strong need for on-line IMRT treatment verification. The INVORAD project addresses this need by development of a highly precise, low-cost and user friendly dose measurement system for real time in vivo radiation source beam verification in IMRT. The system will also be suitable for applications in traditional external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy.
Work description:
The sensor used in the system will be a specially designed radiation sensitive p-channel MOSFET, also known as RADFET. Several features (such as miniature size, response to types of radiation involved in radiotherapy, compatibility with microprocessor that enables real-time read-out, low cost) make the RADFET eminently suitable for the intended application. The INVORAD system will consist of three sub-systems (units): Sensor Unit, Read-out Unit and PC Software Interface. The Sensor Unit will comprise RADFETs, interconnected and packaged using novel techniques in several forms suitable for in vivo internal or external dose monitoring. The Read-out Unit will be based on a microprocessor technology and its function will be to communicate with and retrieve data from the Sensor Unit. A dedicated user-friendly PC Software Interface will provide INVORAD system control, connectivity to other parts of an overall radiotherapy system, such as record and verify packages and patient specific data storage. The project objectives will be achieved through a highly competent international consortium, consisting of a research institute, university, oncology centre and an industrial partner.
The work will be structured in the following work packages, each requiring a collaborative effort of the partners:
1) Definition of system requirements and specifications;
2) Modelling of radiation fields and effects;
3) RADFET sensor development: design, fabrication, characterisation and test;
4) Interconnection and packaging development: design, fabrication, integration with in vivo dosimetry devices;
5) Read-out Unit development: electronics design and fabrication, microprocessor software design;
6) System integration and testing: Software Interface design, system validation through laboratory and patient experiments. An additional work package dedicated to technology implementation will focus on marketing, exploitation and commercialisation of project results.
Milestones:
There will be four milestones in the course of the project:
1) System specifications;
2) Mid-term assessment of successful technology implementation;
3) INVORAD system pre-prototype;
4) INVORAD system validated prototype with detailed User's Manual.
The project will end with precise exploitation and commercialisation plan for the INVORAD system. The RADFET sensors, Sensor Unit and Read-out Unit can undergo independent individual exploitation with minor or no modifications.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering computer hardware computer processors
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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Coordinator
CORK
Ireland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.