From MACACOp to FALCON, characterization and in-beam tests

The IRIS group of IFIC-Valencia has developed and characterized a Compton camera, MACACOp , for in-vivo proton beam range verification. The prototype is composed of monolithic LaBr3 scintillation crystals coupled to SiPMs and uses the TOFPET2 ASIC as readout electronics. The prototype was successfully tested with a cyclotron at a proton therapy center. With the purpose of testing MACACOp in a state-of-the-art accelerator, measurements were performed with a superconducting synchrocyclotron (IBA S2C2). The obtained results show MACACOp 's potential to reconstruct images using advanced clinical proton beams. An upgraded prototype, FALCON, was developed with the aim of improving the system's efficiency and capability. FALCON was characterized in the laboratory and will soon be tested in-beam.