Abstract: Cerenkov Emission (CE) during external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) from a linear accelerator (Linac) has been demonstrated as a useful tool for radiotherapy quality assurance and potentially other applications for online tracking of tumors during treatment. However, an overlooked area is the molecular probing of the cancer status during delivery mainly due to the limited detection sensitivity of CE and lack of flexible tools to fit into an already complex treatment delivery environment. Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) can be used for low light detection due to their extreme sensitivity that mirrors photomultiplier tubes and yet has a form factor that is similar to silicon photodiodes, allowing for improved flexibility in device design. This work assesses the feasibility of using SiPMs to detect CE, interrogate the tumor molecular status during EBRT, and contrast its performance with silicon photodiodes (PDs) available commercially.

Abstract: Cerenkov Emission (CE) during external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) from a linear accelerator (Linac) has been demonstrated as a useful tool for radiotherapy quality assurance and potentially other applications for online tracking of tumors during treatment. However, an overlooked area is the molecular probing of the cancer status during delivery mainly due to the limited detection sensitivity of CE and lack of flexible tools to fit into an already complex treatment delivery environment. Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) can be used for low light detection due to their extreme sensitivity that mirrors photomultiplier tubes and yet has a form factor that is similar to silicon photodiodes, allowing for improved flexibility in device design. This work assesses the feasibility of using SiPMs to detect CE, interrogate the tumor molecular status during EBRT, and contrast its performance with silicon photodiodes (PDs) available commercially.