Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Nanoparticle-enhanced proton computed tomography: A monte carlo simulation study

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

    Abstract

    Proton computed tomography (pCT) has the potential to improve the accuracy of proton treatment planning, which is currently based on x-ray computed tomography (xCT). However, at this time no method exists for pCT to selectively increase the contrast of tumor tissues with respect to normal tissues. One possibility to achieve this goal is to bind gold-nanoparticles, i.e., microscopic structures in the size range of 1 nm to several hundred nanometers, to the surface of tumor cells with cell-seeking antibodies conjugated to the surface of the nanoparticles. In order to test the suitability of this approach, we used the Monte Carlo transport code GEANT4, to provide simulated histories of 200 MeV protons going through a cylindrical water phantom with embedded inhomongenities enhanced with traces of gold. The energy loss of several million protons traversing the cylinder from 180 different angles formed the basis for reconstructing the a single proton CT image representing the relative volume electron density map of the phantom using an approximate filtered back projection algorithm. Our results demonstrate that with hundred nanoparticles of 100 nm diameter per tumor cell, it may be possible to enhance the visibility of tumors in pCT. © 2004 IEEE.
    Original languageAmerican English
    Title of host publication2004 2nd IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging
    Subtitle of host publicationNano to Macro (IEEE Cat No. 04EX821)
    PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
    Pages1354-1356
    Number of pages3
    ISBN (Print)0780383885, 9780780383883
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Mar 7 2005
    Event2004 2nd IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: Macro to Nano - Arlington, VA, United States
    Duration: Apr 15 2004Apr 18 2004

    Publication series

    NameInternational Symposium on Biomedical Imaging

    Conference

    Conference2004 2nd IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: Macro to Nano
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    CityArlington, VA
    Period4/15/044/18/04

    ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

    • General Engineering

    Disciplines

    • Analytical Chemistry
    • Optics
    • Computer Sciences
    • Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
    • Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing

    Cite this