Jack Wehr

Jack works as a PhD candidate in the Medical Physics and Technology (MPT) group on PET technology. His work is geared specifically towards the development of a PET detector for online dosimetry and position verification in proton therapy. Treatment with protons offers a much more localized deposition of energy than conventional x-ray treatment, giving it the potential to greatly reduce dosage to healthy tissue. Unfortunately, proton therapy is particularly sensitive to anatomical changes in the patient, forcing treatments plans to include an additional margin around the target volume. This increases dosage to healthy tissue in the patient. A measurement of dosage during treatment would allow for the narrowing of this margin, reducing unnecessary irradiation to the patient. The project involves partners from Holland PTC and LUMC.