Vincent Belpaire

My research focuses on improving the personalization and predictability of transarterial radioembolization (TARE), a minimally invasive treatment used for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common primary liver cancer. In TARE, radioactive microspheres are injected through a catheter into the liver’s arterial blood vessels to deliver radiation directly to the tumor while sparing healthy tissue. Although clinically effective, treatment outcomes can vary between patients, and the reasons for this variability are not yet fully understood.
The main objective of this research is to develop a patient-specific pre-treatment planning framework that helps clinicians better predict how microspheres and radiation dose will distribute within the liver. To achieve this, the project combines two complementary approaches. First, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to model blood flow and microsphere transport in realistic, patient-derived hepatic arterial geometries. This allows systematic investigation of how treatment-related parameters, such as catheter position, orientation, injection velocity, and catheter type, influence microsphere distribution. Second, Monte Carlo–based radiation dosimetry translates these microsphere distributions into quantitative estimates of absorbed radiation dose in tumors and healthy liver tissue.
By linking treatment parameters to resulting dose distributions, this research aims to improve understanding, optimization, and reproducibility of TARE procedures. Its relevance extends beyond liver cancer, as it contributes methodological tools applicable to other catheter-based and radionuclide therapies. More broadly, the project exemplifies multidisciplinary cancer research by integrating medical physics, computational modeling, interventional radiology, and oncology, ultimately supporting more personalized treatments for patients and society.
 

Vincent received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 2023 (UGent – with distinction) and the interuniversity degree of Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 2025 (UGent – VUB – with greatest distinction).
In 2023, he started the study Physics & Astronomy (UGent), which he combined with his master’s studies and is currently combining with his PhD research at Ghent University. His PhD focuses on patient-specific dosimetry treatment planning.
 

• Lab address: Campus UZ Gent, C. Heymanslaan 10, entrance 97, 2nd floor, 9000 Gent, Belgium
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• Vincent Belpaire is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks