Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beams

Abstract While the FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH RT) using ultra-high-dose-rate (UHDR) proton beams has the potential to achieve more effective cancer treatment, reliable and practical dosimetry of UHDR beams remains challenging. Although the commercial radiochromic films, named “Gafchromic film,” can b...

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Main Authors: Hiroshi Yasuda, Hassna Bantan, Masumi Umezawa, Masashi Yamada, Katsunori Yogo, Toshiyuki Toshito
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-01-01
Series:Discover Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06484-6
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author Hiroshi Yasuda
Hassna Bantan
Masumi Umezawa
Masashi Yamada
Katsunori Yogo
Toshiyuki Toshito
author_facet Hiroshi Yasuda
Hassna Bantan
Masumi Umezawa
Masashi Yamada
Katsunori Yogo
Toshiyuki Toshito
author_sort Hiroshi Yasuda
collection DOAJ
description Abstract While the FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH RT) using ultra-high-dose-rate (UHDR) proton beams has the potential to achieve more effective cancer treatment, reliable and practical dosimetry of UHDR beams remains challenging. Although the commercial radiochromic films, named “Gafchromic film,” can be promising tools for the measurements of UHDR beam profiles, these films have some unfavorable features such as scanning orientation effects and lateral response artifacts. In this study, we examined the scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT3 films irradiated with UHDR proton beams. The square sheets (5.5 × 5.5 cm2) of EBT3 film were irradiated with 8.7–8.8 Gy(H2O) at the plateau region of 139 MeV proton beams in the treatment room at the Nagoya Proton Therapy Center (NPTC) at three different dose rates: 0.29 Gy s−1, 170 Gy s−1, and 720 Gy s−1. The irradiated films were scanned in the reference and perpendicular orientations using two scanners: a flatbed scanner (FBS) (GT-X980, Seiko Epson Corp.) and an overhead scanner (OHS) (Aura, CZUR Tech Co., Ltd.). At the conventional dose rate (0.29 Gy s−1), the inverted red and green color profiles acquired by FBS in the perpendicular orientation were significantly lower than those in the reference orientation, as observed in previous studies using photon beams. Unexpectedly, such orientation effects were not observed in the FBS images of the EBT3 films irradiated with UHDR beams. The scanning orientation did not affect the color profiles of the OHS images at any dose rate tested. These results imply that the scanning orientation effect of the Gafchromic film is not a concern in beam profile measurements for FLASH RT. More comprehensive studies are needed to explain the mechanisms underlying these phenomena and to confirm the universality of the findings obtained in this study.
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spelling doaj-art-eae8fa2936894e2dadd7a628834872c82025-01-12T12:35:02ZengSpringerDiscover Applied Sciences3004-92612025-01-01711910.1007/s42452-025-06484-6Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beamsHiroshi Yasuda0Hassna Bantan1Masumi Umezawa2Masashi Yamada3Katsunori Yogo4Toshiyuki Toshito5Department of Radiation Biophysics, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine (RIRBM), Hiroshima UniversityDepartment of Radiation Biophysics, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine (RIRBM), Hiroshima UniversityHealthcare Business Group, Hitachi High-Tech CorporationHealthcare Business Group, Hitachi High-Tech CorporationGraduate School of Medicine, Nagoya UniversityDepartment of Proton Therapy Physics, Nagoya City University West Medical CenterAbstract While the FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH RT) using ultra-high-dose-rate (UHDR) proton beams has the potential to achieve more effective cancer treatment, reliable and practical dosimetry of UHDR beams remains challenging. Although the commercial radiochromic films, named “Gafchromic film,” can be promising tools for the measurements of UHDR beam profiles, these films have some unfavorable features such as scanning orientation effects and lateral response artifacts. In this study, we examined the scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT3 films irradiated with UHDR proton beams. The square sheets (5.5 × 5.5 cm2) of EBT3 film were irradiated with 8.7–8.8 Gy(H2O) at the plateau region of 139 MeV proton beams in the treatment room at the Nagoya Proton Therapy Center (NPTC) at three different dose rates: 0.29 Gy s−1, 170 Gy s−1, and 720 Gy s−1. The irradiated films were scanned in the reference and perpendicular orientations using two scanners: a flatbed scanner (FBS) (GT-X980, Seiko Epson Corp.) and an overhead scanner (OHS) (Aura, CZUR Tech Co., Ltd.). At the conventional dose rate (0.29 Gy s−1), the inverted red and green color profiles acquired by FBS in the perpendicular orientation were significantly lower than those in the reference orientation, as observed in previous studies using photon beams. Unexpectedly, such orientation effects were not observed in the FBS images of the EBT3 films irradiated with UHDR beams. The scanning orientation did not affect the color profiles of the OHS images at any dose rate tested. These results imply that the scanning orientation effect of the Gafchromic film is not a concern in beam profile measurements for FLASH RT. More comprehensive studies are needed to explain the mechanisms underlying these phenomena and to confirm the universality of the findings obtained in this study.https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06484-6FLASHUltra-high dose rateProtonGafchromic filmScanning orientation effect
spellingShingle Hiroshi Yasuda
Hassna Bantan
Masumi Umezawa
Masashi Yamada
Katsunori Yogo
Toshiyuki Toshito
Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beams
Discover Applied Sciences
FLASH
Ultra-high dose rate
Proton
Gafchromic film
Scanning orientation effect
title Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beams
title_full Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beams
title_fullStr Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beams
title_full_unstemmed Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beams
title_short Changes in scanning orientation effects of Gafchromic EBT-3 film irradiated with ultra-high dose rate proton beams
title_sort changes in scanning orientation effects of gafchromic ebt 3 film irradiated with ultra high dose rate proton beams
topic FLASH
Ultra-high dose rate
Proton
Gafchromic film
Scanning orientation effect
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06484-6
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