Radiation therapy is an effective medical procedure for cancer treatment that relies on the fact that high-energy ionizing radiation can destroy cancer cells. Nevertheless, the risks of malignancies induced by peripheral radiation in healthy tissues surrounding the target volumes represents a serious concern for all patients and doctors alike. Positioning of the patient, inhomogeneities in the target (muscles/bones/adipose tissue), and even minor movements (e.g. breathing), can alter the received dose and targeted volume, and thus affect the outcome of the procedure. Therefore, being able to measure radiation doses with high accuracy and in real time is a critical aspect of diagnostics and treatment. In this presentation I will introduce a new type of radiation dosimeter, the RAD-OFET (RAdiation Detector based on Organic Field-Effect Transistor), which can validate in real time the dose being delivered and ensure that for nearby regions an acceptable level of low dose is being received. The RAD-OFETs exploit trap generation/annihilation in organic semiconductors, are sensitive to doses relevant to many radiation treatment procedures and are robust when incorporated into conformal large-area electronic applications. Placement of the sensor directly onto the human body, coupled with the similarity in the Z-number between the electronically active layer and the human tissue, allows for direct measurement of the radiation dose, eliminating the need for extensive data processing faced by current technologies. The direct consequence is a greater precision and lower complexity in the medical equipment: their adoption in clinical settings will facilitate the application of therapeutic radiation with high precision, a process that will increase the effectiveness on treating cancerous tissue and minimize the impact on the surrounding healthy cells. These results uncover new opportunities for organic circuits that will improve the quality of healthcare through better, lower cost in vivo dose monitoring during radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy is an effective medical procedure for cancer treatment that relies on the fact that high-energy ionizing radiation can destroy cancer cells. Nevertheless, the risks of malignancies induced by peripheral radiation in healthy tissues surrounding the target volumes represents a serious concern for all patients and doctors alike. Positioning of the patient, inhomogeneities in the target (muscles/bones/adipose tissue), and even minor movements (e.g. breathing), can alter the received dose and targeted volume, and thus affect the outcome of the procedure. Therefore, being able to measure radiation doses with high accuracy and in real time is a critical aspect of diagnostics and treatment. In this presentation I will introduce a new type of radiation dosimeter, the RAD-OFET (RAdiation Detector based on Organic Field-Effect Transistor), which can validate in real time the dose being delivered and ensure that for nearby regions an acceptable level of low dose is being received.

The RAD-OFETs exploit trap generation/annihilation in organic semiconductors, are sensitive to doses relevant to many radiation treatment procedures and are robust when incorporated into conformal large-area electronic applications. Placement of the sensor directly onto the human body, coupled with the similarity in the Z-number between the electronically active layer and the human tissue, allows for direct measurement of the radiation dose, eliminating the need for extensive data processing faced by current technologies. The direct consequence is a greater precision and lower complexity in the medical equipment: their adoption in clinical settings will facilitate the application of therapeutic radiation with high precision, a process that will increase the effectiveness on treating cancerous tissue and minimize the impact on the surrounding healthy cells. These results uncover new opportunities for organic circuits that will improve the quality of healthcare through better, lower cost in vivo dose monitoring during radiation therapy.