The FLASH sparing effect, demonstrated in pre-clinical studies at ultra-high dose rates (UHDR), offers potential in cancer treatment. However, achieving UHDR raises plan optimization challenges, like maximizing the volume of healthy tissues receiving FLASH UHDR while optimizing the spot weights. Recent developments in conformal FLASH pencil beam scanning proton therapy have concentrated on optimizing the spot delivery pattern due to their direct impact on dose rate (DR) model. In this study the focus is shifted to spot filtering optimization, which is shown to further increase DR and potentially enhance the feasibility and effectiveness of FLASH therapy.

DoTA is a data-driven dose engine designed to predict dose distributions with high accuracy. This algorithm learns a mapping between a 3D CT input voxel grid and the output dose distribution conditioned on the energy. The goal is to predict mono-energic proton pencil beam dose distribution in a few milliseconds.

In the beginning of July, Ana M. Barragán-Montero had the opportunity to present OpenTPS and its recent development at the XXth International Conference on the use of Computer in Radiation Therapy (ICCR2024). The OpenTPS talk during the plenary session was yet another opportunity to share our open-source project with the medical physics community (slides available here). It was also a great occasion to exchange with other medical physicist and Radiotherapy professionals about open-source software in radiotherapy. On this subject, do not miss the opportunity to be a part of the ESTRO physics workshop 2024 on Resource sharing : open-source software & development in radiotherapy. This wil be held conjointly with Ana M. Barragán-Montero, Joshua Mason (Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust) and Niklas Wahl (MatRad). More information here.