The aim of the research project is the assessment of secondary doses to healthy tissues that are delivered by the use of modern radiation therapy and diagnostics imaging modalities in the clinical environment. The work is also focused on the investigation of the risk of induction of secondary cancers associated with modern radiotherapy implying not only new irradiation techniques like IMRT and proton therapy but also additional radiation exposure due to repeated imaging sessions.

Secondary absorbed doses to healthy tissues generated during the radiation therapy with photons and protons and imaging procedures will be evaluated experimentally and using the Monte Carlo simulations. One research direction will concern the derivation of theoretical models for evaluation of the cancer risk in the clinical environment. The specific aim of this project is the quantification of the risks for late effects after radiotherapy. A special focus will be given to the estimation of risks from new forms of therapy employing protons.

Secondary doses delivered to the healthy tissues during radiation therapy with photons, protons, heavy charged ions and also in the course of imagining procedures, vary significantly with the patient size, type and energy of the primary beam, irradiation geometry and distance from the irradiated volume. Evaluation of absorbed and equivalent doses to organs or tissues due to secondary radiation in photon, light ion therapy and diagnostics imaging modalities is an important step in the risk evaluation for induction of secondary cancers. New treatment and diagnostic approaches could increase the risk levels, especially due to repeated imaging sessions.

For more information contact Irena Gudowska