Prompt gamma measurements for locating the dose falloff region in the proton therapy

The location of the distal falloff in the proton therapy is an important but often uncertain parameter as different tissue elements are traversed by the beam. A multilayered collimator system has been constructed as a practical means to locate the dose ends by measuring prompt gammas. The collimator is designed to moderate and capture fast neutrons and to prevent unwanted gammas from reaching the scintillation detector. The system has been studied using Monte Carlo technique and has been tested in the beam energy range of 100-200 MeV. Measurements clearly indicated correlations between the gamma distributions and the distal falloff regions. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.