An experimental study of focused very high energy electron beams for radiotherapy

Abstract

Very high energy electrons (VHEE) penetrate deeply in tissues and can provide an alternative to photon irradiation for tumour treatment. Using VHEE beams at CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research (CLEAR) focused into a water phantom, the authors demonstrate on-axis dose enhancement at a depth of 5–6 cm, proving that such beams can produce dose concentration to small volume elements, hence limiting the effect on adjacent healthy tissues if used for radiotherapy.