INTRAOPERATIVE ELECTRON BEAM THERAPY WITH A SMALL LINAC

INTRAOPERATIVE ELECTRON BEAM RADIATION THERAPY (IOEBT) IS A MODALITY OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE IN THE TREATMENT OF MANY MALIGNANT LESIONS. THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS MODALITY IS LIMITED BY COST OF THE ACCELERATOR AND THE SHIELDED FACILITY NEEDED TO HOUSE IT. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS WORK IS TO PROVIDE A VERSATILE TOOL TO THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY THAT WILL ENABLE EASY APPLICATION OF HIGH ENERGY ELECTRONS FOR INTRAOPERATIVE USE IN THE SURGICAL SUITE. PHASE I WILL EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF MODIFYING A MINIATURE ELECTRON LINEAR ACCELERATOR (MINAC) WHICH WAS DEVELOPED FOR INDUSTRIAL USE, TO INTRAOPERATIVE ELECTRON BEAM THERAPY. THE INTENT IS TO DETERMINE IF THE MINAC CAN BE ADAPTED FOR USE IN A SURGICAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH MINIMAL SHIELDING WILL BE ADDED TO AN EXISTING OPERATING THEATER. DATA ON DEPTH DOSE, BREMSSTRALUNG AND LEAKAGE RADIATION WILL BE OBTAINED. THEORETICAL DESIGNS WILL BE MADE TO DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM ELECTRON BEAM ENERGY WHICH CAN BE ACHIEVED USING THE X-BAND FREQUENCY AND AVAILABLE MICROWAVE POWER SOURCES. THE METHOD OF MOUNTING AND MANIPULATING THE MINAC ACCELERATOR HEAD WILL BE STUDIED AND RECOMMENDED DEVICES WILL BE INCLUDED AS ONE OF THE STUDY ELEMENTS.