Beam range uncertainty and its clinical management in particle therapy

Abstract

The full theoretical advantages of particle beams in external beam radiotherapy have not been fully exploited, in large part due to uncertainties of the beam range in the patient. For this reason, efforts are underway, either for more precise in-vivo detection of Bragg peak positions or for further reduction of beam range computation errors in treatment planning. Meanwhile, management of the range uncertainty issues with mitigation techniques based on existing technology is critical in providing safe and effective treatments in clinical practice. This paper briefly reviews the definition and causes of particle range uncertainty, the uncertainty estimates currently used in clinical practice, and the corresponding mitigation techniques. It is intended to provide references for clinical practices at new and existing particle therapy centers.