Particle Therapy Overview and Concepts

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Questions and Answers

A patient asks about the main advantage of particle therapy over photon therapy; the nurse explains it is:

shorter treatment times
ability to focus energy at a specific depth (correct)
increased dose to healthy tissue
lower treatment costs

A patient is scheduled for proton therapy; the nurse knows that this treatment primarily uses:

protons (correct)
photons
neutrons
electrons

A patient asks about the discovery of the Bragg peak; the nurse correctly states it was discovered by:

William Bragg (correct)
Robert Wilson
Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Lawrence

A patient asks about the function of a compensator in PSPT; the nurse explains it is used to:

shape the distal dose to the tumor (A) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the difference between uniform and non-uniform scanning in PBS; the nurse explains that non-uniform scanning:

delivers a non-uniform dose per beam (D) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the meaning of RBE; the nurse explains it is a measure of:

biological effectiveness (B) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the primary imaging modality used for treatment planning; the nurse states it is:

CT (D) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of immobilization devices; the nurse explains they are used to:

create a reproducible setup (A) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the meaning of WET; the nurse explains it is:

water equivalent thickness (C) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of fiducial markers; the nurse explains they are used to:

help with tumor tracking (D) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of robust analysis; the nurse explains it is used to:

assess the impact of uncertainties (B) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about smearing in PSPT; the nurse explains it is used to account for:

setup errors and organ motion (A) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about bsPTV; the nurse explains it is a:

beam-specific planning target volume (A) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about repainting in IMPT; the nurse explains it is used to mitigate:

organ motion (C) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about patch planning; the nurse explains it is a technique used in:

PSPT (A) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about distal blocking; the nurse explains it is used to:

spare critical structures (C) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of a snout; the nurse explains it is to:

house beam shaping devices (A) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the difference between synchrotrons and cyclotrons in PBS; the nurse explains that cyclotrons:

have a fixed energy (C) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the difference between IMRT and IMPT; the nurse explains that IMPT has:

a third dimension, depth (B) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of robust optimization; the nurse explains it is to:

minimize uncertainties (D) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the difference between fixed beams and gantries; the nurse explains that fixed beams:

have limited beam angles (A) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the difference between PSPT and PBS delivery; the nurse explains that PBS:

reduces radiation exposure (D) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the use of CBCT; the nurse explains it is:

used for dose measurement (C) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of daily QA; the nurse explains it is to ensure:

beam accuracy (C) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of weekly QA; the nurse explains it is to verify:

treatment parameters (C) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of a modulator wheel; the nurse explains it is to:

spread out the Bragg peak (D) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of a compensator; the nurse explains it is to:

shape the distal dose (D) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of energy degraders; the nurse explains they are used to:

decrease the energy of the beam (B) Signup and view all the answers

A patient asks about the purpose of a synchrotron; the nurse explains it is a device that:

accelerates charged particles with variable energy (A) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What is the main advantage of particle therapy over photon therapy?

The ability to concentrate the radiation dose at a specific depth within the body, minimizing damage to healthy tissues.

What is the primary particle used in proton therapy?

Proton therapy uses protons, subatomic particles with a positive charge, to deliver radiation.

Who discovered the Bragg peak?

William Bragg discovered the Bragg peak, a phenomenon where the energy deposited by charged particles increases rapidly as they slow down near the end of their range.

What is the function of a compensator in Proton Spot Scanning Therapy (PSST)?

A compensator is a device used to create the desired dose distribution by shaping the distal dose to the tumor.