# Cherenkov imaging incorporating 3D surface imaging for TSET

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2022 · $472,801

## Abstract

Cherenkov imaging incorporating surface imaging for TSET
Abstract
Whole-body skin electron radiotherapy has been clinically demonstrated to be effective to treat mycosis
fungoides. However, due to setup positioning uncertainties and potential patient movements during
total skin electron therapy (TSET), dose delivered to the patient skin tissue can deviate from dose
prescription. Cherenkov emission from tissue has recently been demonstrated, providing a mapping
related to the radiation delivery to skin tissue. The signal is optimally captured by time-gated intensified
cameras, synchronized to the linear accelerator pulses, allowing rejection of the majority of background
room light, and providing real time video of each radiotherapy treatment with high dose rates. The
implementation of Cherenkov imaging offers an excellent technology to detect abnormalities in the
treatment, which would otherwise go unnoticed. This proposal seeks to advance this technology as a
verification tool through a clinical trial to monitor the daily treatment delivery of TSET patients and
develop proper corrections that can be applied to the acquired signal to ensure it is quantitatively
accurate in documenting delivered skin dose. Three of the most dominant factors, which alter the
linearity between dose and Cherenkov signal, are the corrections for perspective direction, tissue
curvature, and tissue optical properties. These important corrections are quantified in this pilot study of
TSET, in partnership with DoseOptics LLC, the company that developed the Cherenkov imaging
technology for radiation verification, to perfect technology for daily monitoring of radiation delivery. We
will compare the dosimetry accuracy of Cherenkov imaging by comparing measurements in-vivo at 9
locations using OSLD and Scintillator detectors. In addition, we will perform measurements in optical
phantoms of known tissue optical properties at TSE treatment conditions and Monte-Carlo simulation
studies to quantity the three correction factors. We will also develop techniques to overlay skin dose
obtained from corrected Cherenkov image to patient-specific surface anatomy based on surface 3D
body contour data obtained before TSE treatment to assess the actual skin dose distribution for daily
TSE treatment and perform a comprehensive comparison of dose distribution based on MC-based
treatment planning system. Taking together, this project will advance on the most compelling systems
for radiotherapy imaging in decades. The core of the project is combined technology systems, testing
the utility in the setting of TSET.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10500899
- **Project number:** 1R01CA274411-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Timothy C. Zhu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $472,801
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10500899

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10500899, Cherenkov imaging incorporating 3D surface imaging for TSET (1R01CA274411-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10500899. Licensed CC0.

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