Efficient proton transport modelling for proton beam therapy and biological quantification

Ben S. Ashby; Veronika Chronholm; Daniel K. Hajnal; Alex V. Lukyanov; Katherine MacKenzie; Aaron Pim; Tristan Pryer

doi:10.1007/s00285-025-02212-1

Efficient proton transport modelling for proton beam therapy and biological quantification

Ben S. Ashby, Veronika Chronholm, Daniel K. Hajnal, Alex V. Lukyanov, Katherine MacKenzie, Aaron Pim, Tristan Pryer

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (SciVal)

Abstract

In this work, we present a fundamental mathematical model for proton transport, tailored to capture the key physical processes underpinning Proton Beam Therapy (PBT). The model provides a robust and computationally efficient framework for exploring various aspects of PBT, including dose delivery, linear energy transfer, treatment planning and the evaluation of relative biological effectiveness. Our findings highlight the potential of this model as a complementary tool to more complex and computationally intensive simulation techniques currently used in clinical practice.

Original language	English
Article number	47
Journal	Journal of Mathematical Biology
Volume	90
Issue number	5
Early online date	11 Apr 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00285-025-02212-1
Publication status	Published - 11 Apr 2025

Data Availability Statement

The codebase used to generate the figures in this work is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14179258.

Funding

The research was conducted by a working group sponsored by the Radioprotection theme of the Institute for Mathematical Innovation at the University of Bath. AP and TP were supported by the EPSRC programme Grant EP/W026899/1. BA and TP also received support from the Leverhulme Trust Grant RPG-2021-238 and TP the EPSRC Grant EP/X030067/1. VC is supported by a scholarship through the Statistical Applied Mathematics at Bath (SAMBa) EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training under the Project EP/S022945/1. DH is supported through an NPL iCASE scholarship. All this support is gratefully acknowledged.

Funders	Funder number
University of Bath
National Physical Laboratory
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council	EP/W026899/1
The Leverhulme Trust	EP/X030067/1, RPG-2021-238
EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training	EP/S022945/1

Keywords

Bragg peak
Linear energy transfer
Proton transport
Radiotherapy modelling
Relative biological effectiveness
Treatment planning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Modelling and Simulation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
Applied Mathematics

Access to Document

10.1007/s00285-025-02212-1Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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AU - Pim, Aaron

AU - Pryer, Tristan

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Efficient proton transport modelling for proton beam therapy and biological quantification

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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Mathematical Theory of Radiation Transport: Nuclear Technology Frontiers (MATHRAD):

Cite this

Efficient proton transport modelling for proton beam therapy and biological quantification

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

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Mathematical Theory of Radiation Transport: Nuclear Technology Frontiers (MATHRAD):

Cite this