Zhu Lab

About the lab

PI: Xuping Zhu

The Zhu lab is investigating ways in which PET imaging can be used to verify the delivery of proton therapy immediately after treatment, and ways in which imaging can generally be used to improve radiation therapy

Research

Dynamic PET-DECT for Proton Treatment Verification and Response Assessment

Proton therapy is one of the most advanced modalities of radiation therapy. However, uncertainties in the treatment plan have a much higher impact than in photon therapy due to the highly localized dose deposition. PET imaging of radioactivity distributions produced by nuclear interactions during treatments can be used for vivo treatment verification. We use dynamic PET/DECT imaging immediately after therapy to determine the location of the dose deposition by comparing the PET images to dose and PET images simulated using the dual-energy CT (DECT) scan.

Link to research page.

Members

Selected Publications

• Cho J, Grogg K, Min CH, Zhu X, Paganetti H, Lee HC, El Fakhri G. Feasibility study of using fall-off gradients of early and late PET scans for proton range verification. Med Phys 2017; 44(5):1734-1746
  View in: PubMed
• Grogg KS, Toole T, Ouyang J, Zhu X, Normandin MD, Li Q, Johnson K, Alpert NM, El Fakhri G. National Electrical Manufacturers Association and Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Brain PET/CT Scanner. J. Nucl. Med. 2016; 57(4):646-52
  View in: PubMed
• Grogg K, Alpert NM, Zhu X, Min CH, Testa M, Winey B, Normandin MD, Shih HA, Paganetti H, Bortfeld T, El Fakhri G. Mapping (15)O production rate for proton therapy verification. Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 2015; 92(2):453-9
  View in: PubMed
• Min CH, Zhu X, Grogg K, El Fakhri G, Winey B, Paganetti H. A Recommendation on How to Analyze In-Room PET for In Vivo Proton Range Verification Using a Distal PET Surface Method. Technol. Cancer Res. Treat. 2015; 14(3):320-5
  View in: PubMed
• Zhu X, El Fakhri G. Proton therapy verification with PET imaging. Theranostics 2013; 3(10):731-40
  View in: PubMed
• Cho J, Ibbott G, Gillin M, Gonzalez-Lepera C, Min CH, Zhu X, El Fakhri G, Paganetti H, Mawlawi O. Determination of elemental tissue composition following proton treatment using positron emission tomography. Phys Med Biol 2013; 58(11):3815-35
  View in: PubMed
• Min CH, Zhu X, Winey BA, Grogg K, Testa M, El Fakhri G, Bortfeld TR, Paganetti H, Shih HA. Clinical application of in-room positron emission tomography for in vivo treatment monitoring in proton radiation therapy. Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 2013; 86(1):183-9
  View in: PubMed
• Grogg K, Zhu X, Min CH, Winey B, Bortfeld T, Paganetti H, Shih HA, El Fakhri G. Feasibility of Using Distal Endpoints for In-room PET Range Verification of Proton Therapy. IEEE Trans Nucl Sci 2013; 60(5):3290-3297
  View in: PubMed
• Zhu X, España S, Daartz J, Liebsch N, Ouyang J, Paganetti H, Bortfeld TR, El Fakhri G. Monitoring proton radiation therapy with in-room PET imaging. Phys Med Biol 2011; 56(13):4041-57
  View in: PubMed

Funding sources

NIH - NIBIB
NIH - NCI

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