Purpose: Proton radiography may guide proton therapy cancer treatments with beam’s-eye-view anatomical images and a proton-based estimation of proton stopping power. However, without contrast enhancement, proton radiography will not be able to distinguish tumor from tissue. To provide this contrast, functionalized, high-Z nanoparticles that specifically target a tumor could be injected into a patient before imaging. We conducted this study to understand the ability of gold, as a high-Z, biologically compatible tracer, to differentiate tumors from surrounding tissue.

Approach: Acrylic and gold phantoms simulate a tumor tagged with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Calculations correlate a given thickness of gold to levels of tumor AuNP uptake reported in the literature. An identity, ×3, and ×7 proton magnifying lens acquired lens-refocused proton radiographs at the 800-MeV LANSCE proton beam. The effects of gold in the phantoms, in terms of percent density change, were observed as changes in measured transmission. Variable areal densities of acrylic modeled the thickness of the human body.

Results: A 1-μm-thick gold strip was discernible within 1 cm of acrylic, an areal density change of 0.2%. Behind 20 cm of acrylic, a 40-μm gold strip was visible. A 1-cm-diameter tumor tagged with 1  ×  10⁵ 50-nm AuNPs per cell has an amount of contrast agent embedded within it that is equivalent to a 65-μm thickness of gold, an areal density change of 0.63% in a tissue thickness of 20 cm, which is expected to be visible in a typical proton radiograph.

Conclusions: We indicate that AuNP-enhanced proton radiography might be a feasible technology to provide image-guidance to proton therapy, potentially reducing off-target effects and sparing nearby tissue. These data can be used to develop treatment plans and clinical applications can be derived from the simulations.