Study of spatial resolution of proton computed tomography using a silicon strip detector

Proton computed tomography (CT) is an imaging technique using a high-energy proton beam penetrating the human body and shows promise for improving the quality of cancer therapy with high-energy particle beams because more accurate electron density distribution measurements can be achieved with proton CT. The deterioration of the spatial resolution owing to multiple Coulomb scattering is, however, a crucial issue. The control of the radiation dose and the long exposure time are also problems to be solved. We have developed a prototype system for proton CT with a silicon strip detector and performed a beam test for imaging. The distribution of the electron density has been measured precisely. We also demonstrated an improvement in spatial resolution by reconstructing the proton trajectory. A spatial resolution of 0.45 mm is achieved for a 25-mm-thick polyethylene object. This will be a useful result for upgrading proton CT application for practical use.