Characterization of an x-ray source with a partitioned diamond-tungsten target for electronic brachytherapy with 3D beam directionality

• Published in: Physics in medicine & biology 2019-12, Vol.64 (24), p.245007-245007
• Main Authors: Badali, Daniel S, Plateau, Guillaume R, Ellenor, Christopher W, Ku, Chwen-Yuan, Vatahov, Petre, Esterline, Jane, Wilfley, Brian P, Mitchell, Christopher R, Fishman, Kalman, Funk, Tobias
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D beam directionality; beam sculpting; Brachytherapy - instrumentation; Brachytherapy - methods; Diamond; dosimetry; electronic brachytherapy; Electronics; Electrons; high dose rate; Humans; intraoperative radiation therapy; Monte Carlo Method; Monte Carlo simulations; Radiometry; Radiotherapy Dosage; Tungsten; X-Rays
• ISSN: 0031-9155; 1361-6560
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab5130

The Sculptura™ is a new high-dose-rate electronic brachytherapy system developed by Sensus Healthcare. By combining a steerable electron beam with a partitioned diamond-tungsten x-ray target, the x-ray source of the Sculptura™ is capable of producing highly anisotropic dose distributions, thus achieving true 3D beam directionality. This article reports the spectral and dosimetric characterization of the Sculptura™ x-ray source through a combination of measurements and Monte Carlo simulations for operating points between 50-100 kV. Excellent agreement (~5% discrepancy) between the simulations and measurements was obtained for in-air dose rate characterization. The validated simulations were then used to calculate the dose distribution in water. Dose rates of  >2 cGy/min/μA can be produced at 100 kV, thus delivering 10 Gy in 1 min for typical operating conditions. The dose distributions are sharply peaked, with a full-width at half-maximum azimuth of about 100°.