Name: Julien Mégrourèche, B.Sc.
Level at MPU: MSc.
Email: julien.megroureche [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Supervisor(s): Dr. Shirin A. Enger
Research interests: Radiation therapy physics, radiation dosimetry, radiation chemistry
Research summary
Radiation treatments for cancer promise a targeted approach that treats tumours while avoiding irradiation of healthy tissue. Such treatment requires a careful calibration of the radiation dose, with excellent spatial resolution, using a measurement device (dosimeter) that ideally does not affect the path of the radiation. By exploiting optical microcavity technology originally developed to trap photons in quantum optics experiments, we propose to create a compact, highly sensitive, and fast dosimeter. The optical microcavity greatly enhances interactions between light and water, allowing measurement of the radiation-induced changes in water's optical absorption in a microscopic volume. Moreover, the microcavity is located on the tip of an optical fiber, which means that the fundamental dimensions of the dosimeter are comparable to those of a human hair. This small size not only translates to good spatial resolution, but also facilitates in vivo measurements – that is, dosimetry conducted while the patient is actually receiving treatment. Constructed of materials that minimally impact the radiation path, and measuring radiation dose in a substance (water) very close to human tissue, the dosimeter will overcome limitations of current devices while allowing sub-millimeter spatial resolution.
Awards
MSSS: Bourse en physique médicale (2017-2019)