Applications of silicon dosimeters and Monte Carlo simulations for physical and biological dose quality assurance in particle therapy

Radiation therapy with charged particles, protons and carbon ions in particular, is a modality used for cancer treatment that has expanded dramatically in recent times. This trend can be explained by a number of favourable characteristics of charged particles including a well defined range, reduced lateral scattering and a heightened relative biological effectiveness (RBE) at the treatment site. Particle therapy sees a substantial reduction in the integral dose received by the patient, better dose conformity to the target and reduced likelihood of normal tissue complication.