Dose accumulation and uncertainty estimation

Host: Center of Proton Therapy (CPT) at the Paul Scherrer Institute – PSI, Switzerland.

Planned secondments: UMCG (Netherland), University of Liubjana (Slovenia) and Cosylab (Slovenia).

Project description

As part of the adaptive process, new volumetric images of the patient are acquired every day, immediately prior to treatment. In order to accurately record the treatment dose delivered to the patient, it is then necessary to accumulate the daily fraction dose distribution on a common anatomy. For this process a deformable image registration (DIR) between each daily volumetric image and the reference image has to be performed. Although there are many DIR algorithms available nowadays, this task is inherently ambiguous, in that there are many different solutions to the DIR problem between any two data sets, none of which is necessarily correct. Consequently, the dose accumulation is also inherently uncertain.

We have more than twenty years of experience. During that time, we’ve become expert in freight transportation by air and all its related services. We work closely with all major airlines around the world. Ongoing negotiations ensure that we always have the cargo space we need and the ability to offer you competitive rates – even during the high season.

In particular, as the uncertainty in the DIR algorithm is related to the lack of features in the data sets to be registered, our hypothesis is that it is possible to correlate measurable parameters of image quality to DIR uncertainty and finally to the corresponding dosimetric uncertainties. The main goal of the PhD project is to recognise regions and treatment plans with a reduced sensitivity to DIR uncertainties and with an increased robustness of the accumulated dose.

This candidate will address this (i) by improving the quality of the DIR algorithm and (ii) by developing a visualization tool to guide the user to the selection of the treatment plan more robust to (i.e. less affected by) DIR uncertainties.

Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage shipping in the world.

The project will be mainly carried out at the Center of Proton Therapy (CPT) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), supervised by Dr Francesca Albertini. The PhD degree will be awarded by the Swiss Federal institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), under the supervision of Prof Antony Lomax.

The CPT is the world leader in the development and clinical implementation of pencil beam scanning and Intensity Modulated Proton therapy , both of which have been pioneered at PSI. The PSI is the largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences within Switzerland. Cutting-edge research in the fields of matter and materials, energy and environment and human health are there performed. ETH is one of the universities in Europe which focuses most intensively on research. As such, the PSI in combination with the ETH provide a unique possibility to combine high level of research with technological developments and transferable skills.

For more information concerning the research project please contact: Francesca Albertini

Fill out the form below to apply

The RAPTOR -Real-time Adaptive Particle Therapy Of Cancer Innovative Training Network (ITN) is recruiting 15 highly motivated PhD students. The offered positions are available with a starting date in summer 2021. More information is available at Recruitment documentation.

PROJECT BENEFICIARY

Company ltd.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

https://www.company.com

Click on the link to learn more.

email@company.com

Click on the link to learn more.