In current clinical radiotherapy electron, photon and ion beams are delivered (quasi-) continuously with typical dose-rates of a few Gy/min. Recent developments in dose delivery like IMRT and respiratory-gated treatment as well as accelerator techniques like flattening filter free Linacs and laser-based particle accelerators are driven towards intermittent irradiation with higher dose rates. Compared to continuous dose delivery these new techniques differ not only in dose rate, but also in the temporal sequence of pulse delivery, i.e. pulse lengths and pulse intervals. Previous studies on the influence of high dose rates were focussed on single pulse electron exposure and vary in energy, pulse duration and cell line; the impact of intermittent irradiation was rarely investigated. In the present work, the influence of dose rates of up to 1012 Gy/min and of intermittent irradiation with pulse lengths and pulse intervals in the range of seconds were studied. The radiation source ELBE (Electron Linac for beams with high Brilliance and low Emittance) was used to mimic intermittent irradiation with asymmetric split-doses, separated by pulse intervals in the range of 10 ms to 90 s, and the quasi-continuous electron beam of a clinical LINAC. Using the HNSCC line SQ20B the impact of pulse structure was analyzed by clonogenic survival assay. Moreover, the LINAC-like electron beam and electron pulses with pulse dose rates of up to 1012 Gy/min were used to measure the kinetics of g-H2AX/53BP1 foci disappearance up to 24 h after treatment as a surrogate marker for DNA double-strand break complexity in the normal human breast epithelial cell line 184A1. In general, the radiation response was found to be independent from electron pulse structure for the two endpoints under investigation. These results reveal that ultra-high pulse dose rates of 1012 Gy/min and pulse intervals of 10 ms to 90 s between two pulses have no significant influence on the radiobiological effectiveness of megavoltage electrons.

Commission of the European Community Joint Research Center Ispra (Varese), Italy GFK Karlsruhe (Federal Republic of Germany)

In recent years, the new technology of laser based particle acceleration was developed at such a rate that medical application for cancer therapy could become feasible. Promising more compact and economic proton and ion accelerators the laser technology however results in specific properties, like ultra-short (similar to ps) and ultra-intensive particle beam pulses. The clinical applicability of such new beam qualities requires comprehensive translational research from basic investigations to cell and animal experiments, finally followed by clinical trials. For the first time, the new laser based irradiation technology was established for animal experiments by the German joint research project "onCOOPtics". A complete irradiation facility for laser accelerated electrons was developed, set up, commissioned, tested and applied for radiobiological tumour irradiation experiments under usage of a mouse model at the high intensity laser system JETI. The integration of a magnet and a collimator system resulted in an optimized beam transport and efficient electron energy filtration. Moreover, a specific irradiation and dosimetry setup was integrated allowing for the formation of irradiation fields, the real-time control of beam parameters and dose delivery to the tumour. For an accurate and reproducible positioning of the tumour in the irradiation field the mice were fixed in a movable box and the tumour position was online verified by means of a CCD camera system. The combination of both, the advanced laser accelerator system and the newly implemented irradiation and dosimetry setup allowed the successful performance of systematic radiobiological studies over months. Moreover, the practicability and easy handling of the system results in a reasonable duration of about 15 min for the whole procedure of mouse preparation, positioning and irradiation. In conclusion, the successful establishment of all technical requirements for and the performance of systematic animal studies with laser accelerated electrons mark an important step towards the clinical application of laser accelerated particle beams.

Over the past years, several in vitro studies have been performed on DNA damage induced by soft X-rays, especially in the energy range below 50 keV. Radiation effects originating from such low-energy photons are relevant in the context of medical diagnostics, for example, mammography, or of accidental exposure to scattered radiation. The present study was initiated to investigate the X-ray energy-dependent induction of stable and unstable chromosomal aberrations in the human mammary epithelial cell line 184A1. Three colour fluorescence in situ hybridisation was applied to identify chromosomal damage in chromosomes 1, 8 and 17, induced by 10-kV or 25-kV soft X-rays as well as by 200-kV X-rays as a reference quality. The overall results confirm the X-ray energy dependencies published for human lymphocytes showing increasing chromosomal aberration frequencies and higher aberration complexity with decreasing X-ray energy and increasing dose. Comparing the obtained dose dependencies, ratios of 0.84 ± 0.09 and 1.22 ± 0.18 were revealed for stable translocations induced by 25- and 10-kV X-rays, respectively, using 200-kV X-rays as reference. Moreover, the analysis of the minimum number of breaks required to form the visible chromosomal damage resulted in similar ratios of 0.93 ± 0.07 for 25-kV X-rays and 1.25 ± 0.10 for 10-kV X-rays relative to 200-kV X-rays. In addition, non-DNA-proportional contributions of chromosomes 8 and 17 to the whole DNA damage and deviations from the expected 1:1 ratio of translocations and dicentrics were observed for cell line 184A1.

PURPOSEIn recent years, laser-based acceleration of charged particles has rapidly progressed and medical applications, e.g., in radiotherapy, might become feasible in the coming decade. Requirements are monoenergetic particle beams with long-term stable and reproducible properties as well as sufficient particle intensities and a controlled delivery of prescribed doses at the treatment site. Although conventional and laser-based particle accelerators will administer the same dose to the patient, their different time structures could result in different radiobiological properties. Therefore, the biological response to the ultrashort pulse durations and the resulting high peak dose rates of these particle beams have to be investigated. The technical prerequisites, i.e., a suitable cell irradiation setup and the precise dosimetric characterization of a laser-based particle accelerator, have to be realized in order to prepare systematic cell irradiation experiments.METHODSThe Jena titanium:sapphire laser system (JETI) was customized in preparation for cell irradiation experiments with laser-accelerated electrons. The delivered electron beam was optimized with regard to its spectrum, diameter, dose rate, and dose homogeneity. A custom-designed beam and dose monitoring system, consisting of a Roos ionization chamber, a Faraday cup, and EBT-1 dosimetry films, enables real-time monitoring of irradiation experiments and precise determination of the dose delivered to the cells. Finally, as proof-of-principle experiment cell samples were irradiated using this setup.RESULTSLaser-accelerated electron beams, appropriate for in vitro radiobiological experiments, were generated with a laser shot frequency of 2.5 Hz and a pulse length of 80 fs. After laser acceleration in the helium gas jet, the electrons were filtered by a magnet, released from the vacuum target chamber, and propagated in air for a distance of 220 mm. Within this distance a lead collimator (aperture of 35 mm) was introduced, leading, along with the optimized setup, to a beam diameter of 35 mm, sufficient for the irradiation of common cell culture vessels. The corresponding maximum dose inhomogeneity over the beam spot was less than 10% for all irradiated samples. At cell position, the electrons posses a mean kinetic energy of 13.6 MeV, a bunch length of about 5 ps (FWHM), and a mean pulse dose of 1.6 mGy/bunch. Cross correlations show clear linear dependencies for the online recorded accumulated bunch charges, pulse doses, and pulse numbers on absolute doses determined with EBT-1 films. Hence, the established monitoring system is suitable for beam control and a dedicated dose delivery. Additionally, reasonable day-to-day stable and reproducible properties of the electron beam were achieved.CONCLUSIONSBasic technical prerequisites for future cell irradiation experiments with ultrashort pulsed laser-accelerated electrons were established at the JETI laser system. The implemented online control system is suitable to compensate beam intensity fluctuations and the achieved accuracy of dose delivery to the cells is sufficient for radiobiological cell experiments. Hence, systematic in vitro cell irradiation experiments can be performed, being the first step toward clinical application of laser-accelerated particles. Further steps, including the transfer of the established methods to experiments on higher biological systems or to other laser-based particle accelerators, will be prepared.

We report on the first irradiation of in vitro tumour cells with laser-accelerated proton pulses showing dose-dependent biological damage. This experiment, paving the way for future radiobiological studies with laser-accelerated protons, demonstrates the simultaneous availability of all the components indispensable for systematic radiobiological studies: a laser-plasma accelerator providing proton spectra with maximum energy exceeding 15 MeV and applicable doses of a few Gy within a few minutes; a beam transport and filtering system; an in-air irradiation site; and a dosimetry system providing both online dose monitoring and absolute dose information applied to the cell sample and the full infrastructure for analysing radiation-induced damage in cells.

Purpose: Before the novel technology of laser-based particle acceleration can be used for clinical applications, several requirements have to be fulfilled. These are the supply of stable and reliable particle beams with reproducible properties, sufficient particle intensity and useable energy spectra. Additionally, a precise dose delivery in an appropriate time and the exposure of a desired irradiation field are needed. Beside these demands, consequences on dosimetry as well as on the radiobiological effect have to be investigated for ultra-short pulsed laser-accelerated particle beams. Method and Materials: The joint project onCOOPtics, an interdisciplinary and multicenter institution focusing on the development of a laser particle accelerator for radiation oncology, is introduced. The worldwide first systematic in vitro irradiations with laser-accelerated electrons performed with the JeTi laser system will be presented focusing on the experimental setup, practical experiences and on dosimetric and radiobiological results. In a next step, cell irradiation experiments with laser-accelerated protons have been prepared. Therefore, a dedicated dosimetric system was developed. It is integrated into a device that can be installed at different laser and conventional accelerators and serves also as cell or animal irradiation device. Results: A laser accelerator was successfully optimized for systematic radiobiological experiments performed over 3 months. No significant differences between laser-accelerated and conventional 6 MeV electron beams were found. An integrated dosimetry and cell irradiation device for systematic in vitro and in vivo experiments with laser-accelerated protons was developed, characterized, calibrated and successfully tested with both continuous and pulsed proton beams. Cell irradiations with protons have been started. Conclusion: Laser accelerators can be used for radiobiological experiments, meeting all necessary requirements like homogeneity, stability and precise dose delivery. Nevertheless, before fulfilling the much higher requirements for clinical application, several improvements concerning i.e. proton energy, spectral shaping and patient safety are necessary. Supported by BMBF (03ZIK445).

In recent years, the technology of laser-based particle acceleration has developed at such a rate that compact and potentially more cost-effective accelerators are promised for medical application, e.g. for high precision hadron radiotherapy. Necessary requirements are the supply of stable and reliable particle beams with reproducible properties, sufficient particle intensities and monoenergetic spectra. Additionally, a precise dose delivery in an appropriate time and the exposure of a desired irradiation field are needed. Beside these physical demands, the consequences on detection and dosimetry as well as the radiobiological effect on living cells have to be investigated for the ultra-short pulsed laser-based particle beams. As a first step, the laser accelerator facility at the Jena Titanium: Sapphire system was customized for in vitro cell irradiation experiments and the delivered electron beam was improved with regard to its spectrum, diameter, dose rate and dose homogeneity. Furthermore, a custom-designed beam and dose monitoring system was established that enables real-time monitoring of the irradiation experiments and a precise determination of the dose delivered to the cells. Moreover, stable and reproducible beam properties were achieved during the whole three month experiment campaign. Dose-effect-curves were obtained for four cell lines and two endpoints, generally displaying a lower biological effectiveness for short-pulsed laser-accelerated electrons relative to the continuous 200 kV X-ray reference irradiation. Possible reasons will be discussed.

The radiation source ELBE delivers different types of secondary radiation, which is used for cell irradiation studies in radiobiological research. Thereby an important issue is the determination of the biological effectiveness of photon radiation as a function of photon energy by using low-energetic, monochromatic channeling radiation (10–100keV) and high-energetic bremsstrahlung (up to 40MV). Radiobiological studies at the research facility ELBE demand special technical and dosimetric prerequisites. Therefore, a cell irradiation system (CIS) has been designed, constructed and installed at the beam line. The CIS allows automatic irradiation of a larger cell sample number and the compensation of spatial inhomogeneity of the dose distribution within the beam spot. The recently introduced GafChromic® EBT radiochromic film model has been used to verify the cell irradiation dose deposition achieving a dose uncertainty of <5%. Both, the installed cell irradiation system and the developed dosimetric procedure based on the use of the EBT film have been experimentally tested at ELBE. The biological effectiveness of 34MV bremsstrahlung with respect to 200kV X-rays from a conventional X-ray tube has been determined. An RBE value of 0.75 has been measured in good agreement with literature.