We report on a wearable, human tissue-equivalent, real-time dosimeter designed to quantitatively monitor radiation absorbed by patients during cancer treatments. The fully organic device has been characterized under actual clinical conditions using a high-energy proton beam and an anthropomorphic phantom, with the aim to simulate a prostate cancer proton therapy treatment. We achieved a full control over the dosimeter operation, and we verified its linear response with the received dose. We demonstrate that, by a proper functionalization of the polysiloxane-based scintillator, it is possible to target the effective detection of different kinds of ionizing radiation. Specifically, besides protons, we develop a device able to detect thermal neutrons, targeting its use during Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. This work demonstrates how organic indirect detectors can be considered a universal radiation detecting platform able to monitor in real time and in situ the dose absorbed by patients during cancer treatments under different kinds of radiation.
A wearable tool for real-time dose monitoring during cancer radiation therapies / Fratelli, I., Carturan, S.M., Tommasino, F., Basiricò, L., Pino, F., Valletta, A., Campajola, M., Rapisarda, M., Calvi, S., Scagliotti, M., Ciavatti, A., Tortora, L., Verroi, E., Delgado, J.C., Margotti, L., Bordoni, C., Napolitano, G., Moretto, S., Aloisio, A., Sarnelli, E., et al.. - In: SCIENCE ADVANCES. - ISSN 2375-2548. - 11:17(2025). [10.1126/sciadv.adt7633]
A wearable tool for real-time dose monitoring during cancer radiation therapies
Aloisio, Alberto;
2025
Abstract
We report on a wearable, human tissue-equivalent, real-time dosimeter designed to quantitatively monitor radiation absorbed by patients during cancer treatments. The fully organic device has been characterized under actual clinical conditions using a high-energy proton beam and an anthropomorphic phantom, with the aim to simulate a prostate cancer proton therapy treatment. We achieved a full control over the dosimeter operation, and we verified its linear response with the received dose. We demonstrate that, by a proper functionalization of the polysiloxane-based scintillator, it is possible to target the effective detection of different kinds of ionizing radiation. Specifically, besides protons, we develop a device able to detect thermal neutrons, targeting its use during Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. This work demonstrates how organic indirect detectors can be considered a universal radiation detecting platform able to monitor in real time and in situ the dose absorbed by patients during cancer treatments under different kinds of radiation.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
