Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Nuclear Engineering

Major Professor

Eric D. Lukosi

Committee Members

Michael Howard, Lawrence H. Heilbronn, Dustin Osborne, Eric D. Lukosi

Abstract

This research focuses on the development of a low dose radiotherapy (LD-RT) device for treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a respiratory illness that affects millions of people a year. The use of orthovoltage (200 – 500 keV) X-ray energy provides many advantages over traditional radiotherapy delivery with linear accelerators, such as low cost and greater accessibility. In addition, X-ray tubes have been shown throughout history to provide good treatment outcomes for pneumonia, and research has shown LD-RT to be just as effective with ARDS. This proposal summarizes my efforts in determining the dosimetric properties of a LD-RT system to deliver treatment in a fast and effective manner. My research involves Monte Carlo transport simulations in MCNP to calculate the dose delivery and coverage of a whole lung treatment. In addition, different setup geometries and beam modifications will be explored to optimize the treatment delivery. The development of such a system would greatly expand the treatment options for ARDS type illness at a lower cost and greater accessibility than current radiotherapy options.

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