The main objective of the experiment is that of studying and setting up the proper dosimetry and spectrometry methods useful for the advanced modalities of radiotherapy that are presently used or proposed.
The experiment is carried out by the two Italian INFN groups, but the research involves other institutions and research groups, both national and international.
The aim of the project is the improvement of dosimetry and spectrometry methods developed in the laboratories of this projects and the study of new instrumental approaches for radiation fields of specific interest. The interest is turned to photon fields, principally for conformal radiotherapies as intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, and thermal/epithermal neutron fields designed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).

Concerning conformal radiotherapies, the goal of this project is the development of dosimeters and methods for achieving images of the spatial distribution of the absorbed dose, also in absolute dosimetry for complex fields like those of IMRT or HDR brachytherapy. The studied dosimeters are Gafchromic films and Fricke-gel-layer dosimeters (FGLD) suitably developed in laboratory. The possibility of a clinical use of FGLDs for quality controls will be also evaluated.
It was recently undertaken a study on in-vivo dosimetry, in particular for HDR brachytherapy. The scientific interest aroused by these results has given rise to some cooperation with regard to in-vivo dosimetry, which will also involve other methods, such as optical fibres and mosfet detectors. Moreover, a collaboration is now started with the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics of the University of Wollongong (Australia) concerning studies for achieving in vivo dosimetry in real time during patient treatment. The studied methodology is based on a miniaturized detector named MOSkin that is designed with MOSFET technology and developed at Wollongong University..

Concerning BNCT, proper dosimetry and spectrometry methods are studied and set up in the experiment SPENDO.
A dosimetry method based on FGLDs is developed and continuously improved. This method gives the capability of attaining reliable information about the spatial distribution of absorbed dose for each dose component in tissue exposed to thermal/epithermal neutrons. With the recent improvements, circular images with a diameter of 16 cm were achieved. No other experimental method gives the possibility of obtaining dose images of all dose contributions in epithermal neutron fields. The method is applied at the LVR-15 reactor at the Department of Reactor Physics at Rez (Prague, Czech Rep.) for in-phantom dose measurements and for the characterization of the epithermal neutron beam designed and used for BNCT treatments of patients.
Also the improvement of dosimetry methods based on thermoluminescence detectors (TLDs) is a goal, to carry measurements, in reference positions, in order to perform inter-comparison of results.

Spectrometry methods for neutron beams are developed and improved too.
One method is based on the LES spectrometer that was recently optimized by means of MonteCarlo simulations with the aim of determining with better precision the response curves at low energies, in particular behind 10 keV, in order the expand the measured energy spectrum to low energies.
Moreover, a study of the feasibility of a system for neutron spectrometry, based on a THGEM (Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier) detector was undertaken. This work was carried out in collaboration with the Weizmann Institute of Science (Department of Particle Physics, Radiation Detector Physics Laboratory) in Israel and the PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig) in Germany.