Optical Fiber Sensors for Radiotherapy Dosimetry: Advances, Challenges, and Clinical Potential

Radiotherapy, which involves the use of ionising radiation to treat cancer, is a critical component of care for approximately 50–60% of cancer patients during their treatment journey. Optical fibre sensors have shown significant promise for use in radiotherapy dosimetry, thanks to their compact size, high sensitivity, resistance to electromagnetic interference, and ability to perform remote sensing. Despite these advantages, implementing accurate dose monitoring in clinical settings remains challenging. Factors such as low radiation doses, a broad range of dose rates, and varying radiation energies add complexity to dosimetry in radiotherapy. In this work, we present our latest developments in optical fibre-based radiation dosimetry, with a particular emphasis on applications in radiotherapy. We also explore the key challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in enhancing patient outcomes through improved dosimetry techniques.

Subject Matter Level: Intermediate - Assumes basic knowledge of the topic

What You Will Learn:
• Fundamentals and advantages of optical fibre sensors in radiotherapy dosimetry, including their sensitivity, compactness, and suitability for remote monitoring;
• Recent advancements in fibre-based dosimetry technologies, with a focus on their clinical applications for improving radiation dose accuracy in cancer treatment;
• Key challenges and future opportunities in implementing reliable, real-time radiation dose monitoring to enhance patient safety and treatment outcomes.

Who Should Attend:
• Researchers and engineers in optical sensing and photonics looking to apply their expertise to healthcare and cancer treatment applications;
• Graduate students and professionals in information engineering, medical technology, or physics seeking to understand the integration of fibre-optic sensors in clinical radiotherapy settings;
• Medical physicists, radiation oncologists, and clinical dosimetrists interested in emerging technologies.

About the Presenter: Sinead O’Keeffe from University of Limerick, Ireland

Dr. Sinéad O’Keeffe is a Royal Society – Research Ireland University Research Fellow within the Optical Fibre Sensors Research Centre, Department of Electronic & Computer Engineering at the University of Limerick, Ireland. She is leading a team that focuses on the development of optical fibre-based sensor systems for biomedical applications. Her current research primarily focuses on radiotherapy for prostate and gynaecological cancer treatment. Sensors are being developed to measure the real-time radiation dose to the tumour and nearby critical structures and to measure the oxygen concentration of the tumour, which determines how resilient the tumour is to the radiation. She was co-ordinator of the recently completed European H2020 Research and Innovation Programme Project “ORIGIN” developing an optical fibre dose imaging platform for adaptive brachytherapy.