Monomer consumption in MAGIC-type polymer gels in the Bragg-peak of proton beams observed by volume selective 1H MR-spectroscopy (MRS): proof of principle for high resolution MRS-methodology with a sensitive rf-detector

Mono-energetic proton and heavy ion beams for tumour therapy feature high dose gradients laterally and at its penetration depth, characterized by the Bragg-peak. The 3-dimensional dosimetry of such Hadron particle beams poses high demands on the spatial resolution of the imaging methodology and linearity of the polymer gel dose response in a wide dose range and at high linear energy transfer (LET). In almost all polymer gels the Bragg-peak dose response is therefore quenched. Volume selective MR-spectroscopy is in principle capable of delivering information on the polymerization process. We here present the MR-methodology to obtain MR-spectroscopic (MRS) data on the monomer consumption at the very small voxel volumes necessary for resolving e.g. the Bragg-peak area. Using additional hardware components, i.e. a strong gradient system and a very sensitive rf-detector at a high field human 7T scanner, MR-microimaging and MRS with 600 μm depth resolution can be implemented at very short measurement time. The vinyl groups of methacrylic acid in a MAGIC-type polymer gel can be resolved by volume selective MRS. The complete monomer consumption in the Bragg-peak due to polymerization is demonstrated selectively in the Bragg-peak indicating one main reason for Bragg-peak quenching in the investigated polymer gel.