This technology provides a novel proton beam profiling technology with excellent spatial and temporal resolution. Proton radiation therapy is becoming widely adopted for cancer treatment due to its capability of producing maximum dosage within an extremely small area and controlled depth in the tissue. In order to controllably deliver high doses of proton radiation to precisely targeted individual areas in a patient, 3D information of the beam becomes critical. However, existing technology measurements (ion chambers or films) only provide limited 2D information with long measurement time. 

The technology is based on the principles of Micromegas detector developed at CERN for particle tracking, but modified with new detecting electronics, gas, and beam analysis algorithm. The investigators have shown that prototype of the new technology is superior to existing ones.