Feasibility study of high-power electron linac for clinical X-ray ROAD-FLASH therapy system

• DOI: 10.3389/fmede.2024.1382025
• Publication Date: 2024-06-17T04:19:59Z
• Authors: Sergey V. Kutsaev; Ronald Agustsson; Salime Boucher; Paul Carriere; Nasr Ghoniem; Kenichi Kaneta; Maksim Kravchenko; Alan Li; Adam Moro; Sohun Patel; Ke Sheng
• Keywords: electron linac; ultra-high dose rate; ROAD; X-ray radiotherapy; 0103 physical sciences; Medical technology; FLASH effect; R855-855.5; 01 natural sciences; Article

This study examines how a practical source of X-ray radiation, capable delivering unprecedented 100 Gy/s at 1 m for FLASH radiotherapy can be designed. We proposed the design linac, accelerating 18 MeV 8 mA electron beam with further conversion to bremsstrahlung X-rays. The is based on L-band traveling wave structures high power efficiency, operating in short-burst/long-pulse regime that allows supply regime, beyond its specifications. demonstrates feasibility high-power linac clinical therapy system, using detailed analysis and simulations. Despite ~500x higher output than standard utilizes available accelerator components maximal practicality. Recent studies have demonstrated effect effectively kill tumor cells while sparing normal tissue occurs when large dose rates (≥40 Gy/s) are delivered less s. Photons very attractive since modest energies several needed, which achieved compact cost-efficient accelerators. However, efficiency electron-to-photon only few percent, required intensity must an order magnitude state-of-the-art accelerators provide. ROAD-FLASH layout achieving both rate superior conformity, comparing similar projects. current paper focuses providing technical roadmap building economical linear ROAD delivery.