Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2022 Apr 6;14(13):14997-15007. doi: 10.1021/acsami.2c01019. Epub 2022 Mar 22.
Modern radiation therapy workflow involves complex processes intended to maximize the radiation dose delivered to tumors while simultaneously minimizing excess radiation to normal tissues. Safe and accurate delivery of radiation doses is critical to the successful execution of these treatment plans and effective treatment outcomes. Given extensive differences in existing dosimeters, the choice of devices and technologies for detecting biologically relevant doses of radiation has to be made judiciously, taking into account anatomical considerations and modality of treatment (invasive, e.g., interstitial brachytherapy vs noninvasive, e.g., external-beam therapy radiotherapy). Rapid advances in versatile radiation delivery technologies necessitate new detection platforms and devices that are readily adaptable into a multitude of form factors in order to ensure precision and safety in dose delivery. Here, we demonstrate the adaptability of radiation-responsive gel nanosensors as a platform technology for detecting ionizing radiation using three different form factors with an eye toward versatile use in the clinic. In this approach, ionizing radiation results in the reduction of monovalent gold salts leading to the formation of gold nanoparticles within gels formulated in different morphologies including one-dimensional (1D) needles for interstitial brachytherapy, two-dimensional (2D) area inserts for skin brachytherapy, and three-dimensional (3D) volumetric dose distribution in tissue phantoms. The formation of gold nanoparticles can be detected using distinct but complementary modes of readout including optical (visual) and photothermal detection, which further enhances the versatility of this approach. A linear response in the readout was seen as a function of radiation dose, which enabled straightforward calibration of each of these devices for predicting unknown doses of therapeutic relevance. Taken together, these results indicate that the gel nanosensor technology can be used to detect ionizing radiation in different morphologies and using different detection methods for application in treatment planning, delivery, and verification in radiotherapy and in trauma care.
现代放射治疗工作流程涉及复杂的过程，旨在最大限度地提高肿瘤接受的辐射剂量，同时最大限度地减少对正常组织的过度辐射。安全准确地输送辐射剂量对于成功执行这些治疗计划和获得有效的治疗结果至关重要。鉴于现有剂量计之间存在广泛的差异，必须明智地选择用于检测与生物学相关剂量的设备和技术，同时考虑到解剖学因素和治疗方式（侵入性，例如间质近距离治疗与非侵入性，例如外束放射治疗）。多功能辐射输送技术的快速发展需要新的检测平台和设备，这些设备需要易于适应多种形式因素，以确保在剂量输送方面的精确性和安全性。在这里，我们展示了辐射响应凝胶纳米传感器作为一种平台技术的适应性，该技术可用于使用三种不同的形式因素来检测电离辐射，以期在临床上得到广泛应用。在这种方法中，电离辐射会导致单价金盐还原，从而在不同形态的凝胶中形成金纳米颗粒，这些凝胶包括用于间质近距离治疗的一维（1D）针、用于皮肤近距离治疗的二维（2D）区域插入物，以及组织模型中的三维（3D）体积剂量分布。可以使用不同但互补的读出模式（包括光学（视觉）和光热检测）来检测金纳米颗粒的形成，这进一步增强了这种方法的通用性。在读取中可以看到剂量与辐射剂量之间存在线性响应，这使得可以轻松地对这些设备中的每一个进行校准，以预测具有治疗相关性的未知剂量。总的来说，这些结果表明，凝胶纳米传感器技术可用于检测不同形态的电离辐射，并使用不同的检测方法应用于放射治疗和创伤护理中的治疗计划、输送和验证。
