Enabling ultra-high dose rate electron beams at a clinical linear accelerator for isocentric treatments

Abstract

Background and purpose: Radiotherapy delivery with ultra-high dose rates (UHDR) has consistently produced normal tissue sparing while maintaining efficacy for tumour control in preclinical studies, known as the FLASH effect. Modified clinical electron linacs have been used for pre-clinical studies at reduced source-surface distance (SSD) and novel intra-operative devices are becoming available. In this context, we modified a clinical linac to deliver 16 MeV UHDR electron beams with an isocentric setup.

Materials and methods: The first Varian TrueBeam (SN 1001) was clinically operative between 2009-2022, it was then decommissioned and converted into a research platform. The 18 MeV electron beam was converted into the experimental 16 MeV UHDR. Modifications were performed by Varian and included a software patch, thinner scattering foil and beam tuning. The dose rate, beam characteristics and reproducibility were measured with electron applicators at SSD = 100 cm.

Results: The dose per pulse at isocenter was up to 1.28 Gy/pulse, corresponding to average and instantaneous dose rates up to 256 Gy/s and 3⋅10⁵ Gy/s, respectively. Beam characteristics were equivalent between 16 MeV UHDR and conventional for field sizes up to 10x10cm² and an overall beam reproducibility within ± 2.5% was measured.

Conclusions: We report on the first technical conversion of a Varian TrueBeam to produce 16 MeV UHDR electron beams. This research platform will allow isocenter experiments and deliveries with conventional setups up to field sizes of 10x10 cm² within a hospital environment, reducing the gap between preclinical and clinical electron FLASH investigations.

Keywords: Electron beam; FLASH; Linac; Radiotherapy; Ultra-high dose rate.