Abstract
We describe a tissue optics plug-in that interfaces with the GEANT4/GAMOS Monte Carlo (MC) architecture, providing a means of simulating radiation-induced light transport in biological media for the first time. Specifically, we focus on the simulation of light transport due to the Čerenkov effect (light emission from charged particle’s traveling faster than the local speed of light in a given medium), a phenomenon which requires accurate modeling of both the high energy particle and subsequent optical photon transport, a dynamic coupled process that is not well-described by any current MC framework. The results of validation simulations show excellent agreement with currently employed biomedical optics MC codes, [i.e., Monte Carlo for Multi-Layered media (MCML), Mesh-based Monte Carlo (MMC), and diffusion theory], and examples relevant to recent studies into detection of Čerenkov light from an external radiation beam or radionuclide are presented. While the work presented within this paper focuses on radiation-induced light transport, the core features and robust flexibility of the plug-in modified package make it also extensible to more conventional biomedical optics simulations. The plug-in, user guide, example files, as well as the necessary files to reproduce the validation simulations described within this paper are available online at http://www.dartmouth.edu/optmed/research-projects/monte-carlo-software.
Highlights
A growing area of research within the field biomedical optics involves the use of radiationinduced light emission in biological media, and can be attributed to the Čerenkov effect, a phenomena which results in broadband optical emission when a charged particle travels through a dielectric medium at a speed greater than the local phase velocity of light [1,2]
Ten Monte Carlo simulations were performed using 107 photons, the results of which are presented in Table 3 in comparison to results reported by MCML, Prahl et al, and Giovanelli [18,39,40]
In this study we have presented and validated a tissue-optics software plug-in for the GEANT4/GEANT4 architecture for medically oriented simulations (GAMOS) architecture that facilitates the simulation of radiation-induced light transport in biological media
Summary
A growing area of research within the field biomedical optics involves the use of radiationinduced light emission in biological media, and can be attributed to the Čerenkov effect, a phenomena which results in broadband optical emission when a charged particle travels through a dielectric medium at a speed greater than the local phase velocity of light [1,2]. The Čerenkov radiation is predominately emitted in the ultraviolet (UV) and blue wavebands due to an inverse square wavelength dependence, and several groups have investigated Čerenkov-induced fluorescence, an approach which allows researchers to shift the inherent emission to the near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths which are more favorable to light transport through biological tissue [10,14]. These measurements have the potential to impact clinical practice, as they could be used to optically monitor and optimize radiation therapy treatments by providing noninvasive molecular information to the clinician. As these research directives are in their relative infancy, it is necessary to develop and validate a simulation software package that can be used to investigate the radiation-induced light transport in biological media
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