IONHE Ionising Radiation, Health and Environment
Principal investigator: Maria Amor Duch Guillen
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IONHE drives cutting-edge research on the safe and effective use of ionizing radiation, with a strong focus on healthcare applications. The group works to optimize radiation protection techniques for healthcare professionals, enhance patient dose measurement and calculation systems in radiotherapy, radiology, and nuclear medicine through advanced methods such as Monte Carlo simulations and thermoluminescent dosimetry, and collaborates with companies in the radiation measurement instrumentation sector to improve calibration processes and device design.
Featured Projects
PRIMO
The project, framed within the field of Medical Physics, focuses on the simulation of external radiotherapy (RT) using the Monte Carlo (MC) method. Its goal is to improve the determination of dose distributions in patients undergoing radiotherapy treatments, enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing the risk of radiation-induced cancers. The IONHE research group has developed software called PRIMO, which allows users without prior experience in MC methods to simulate radiotherapy treatments delivered by most linear accelerators (linacs) and across various treatment modalities, such as three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT).
CALIDOSIS
The project studies dosimetry systems to monitor radiation doses to workers’ eye lenses, following new stricter EU regulations. IONHE developed calibration methodologies and characterization protocols to help implement accurate lens dose monitoring, especially in interventional radiology. The project includes analyzing the performance of the three eye lens dosimetry systems available in Spain through a pilot study of their angular and energy response according to IEC 62387 (2020). It also involves drafting a calibration methodology for personal eye lens dosimeters in terms of Hp(3), based on ISO 4037-3 (2019), and developing a protocol for characterizing personal eye lens dosimeters, which may be adopted by the Spanish regulatory authority.
MEDIRAD
European project aimed at improving the scientific foundations and practices of radiological protection in the medical field. In this context, the IONHE group has contributed to developing a software tool based on the Monte Carlo (MC) method to evaluate the dose to the skin and organs of patients undergoing interventional radiology (IR) procedures, as well as the exposure of healthcare personnel involved in these interventions. The tool demonstrated excellent agreement in organ dose distribution, validating its ability to provide accurate dose estimates in real clinical settings within very short times.
PRIMO
The project, framed within the field of Medical Physics, focuses on the simulation of external radiotherapy (RT) using the Monte Carlo (MC) method. Its goal is to improve the determination of dose distributions in patients undergoing radiotherapy treatments, enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing the risk of radiation-induced cancers. The IONHE research group has developed software called PRIMO, which allows users without prior experience in MC methods to simulate radiotherapy treatments delivered by most linear accelerators (linacs) and across various treatment modalities, such as three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT).
CALIDOSIS
The project studies dosimetry systems to monitor radiation doses to workers’ eye lenses, following new stricter EU regulations. IONHE developed calibration methodologies and characterization protocols to help implement accurate lens dose monitoring, especially in interventional radiology. The project includes analyzing the performance of the three eye lens dosimetry systems available in Spain through a pilot study of their angular and energy response according to IEC 62387 (2020). It also involves drafting a calibration methodology for personal eye lens dosimeters in terms of Hp(3), based on ISO 4037-3 (2019), and developing a protocol for characterizing personal eye lens dosimeters, which may be adopted by the Spanish regulatory authority.
MEDIRAD
European project aimed at improving the scientific foundations and practices of radiological protection in the medical field. In this context, the IONHE group has contributed to developing a software tool based on the Monte Carlo (MC) method to evaluate the dose to the skin and organs of patients undergoing interventional radiology (IR) procedures, as well as the exposure of healthcare personnel involved in these interventions. The tool demonstrated excellent agreement in organ dose distribution, validating its ability to provide accurate dose estimates in real clinical settings within very short times.
