Design of an accelerator-based epithermal neutron beam for boron neutron capture therapy

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5198169

Yanch, J C; Zhou, X L; Brownell, G L ^[1]; Shefer, R E; Klinkowstein, R E ^[2]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States)
2. Science Research Lab., Inc., Somerville, MA (United States)

Recent interest in the production of epithermal neutrons for use in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has prompted an investigation into the feasibility of generating such neutrons with a tandem cascade accelerator. Accelerator-produced neutrons in the range of roughly 200--800 keV are generated in a lithium compound target via the {sup 7}Li(p,n){sup 7}Be nuclear reaction in a tandem cascade accelerator currently under development by Science Research Laboratory, Somerville, MA. Details of the design of the proton accelerator and operating characteristics will be too energetic for use in neutron capture therapy, a detailed dosimetric study was undertaken to determine the energy, or range of energies most suitable for NCT. This study was carried out using three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport calculations; results are discussed briefly here. Once the most suitable range of energies for BNCT was determined, it was then possible to design an appropriate moderator assembly to shift the energy of the neutrons down to the therapeutically useful levels. Such an assembly has been designed with the aid of computer simulation; calculations of treatment parameters indicate that the accelerator neutron beam can provide dose rates and advantage depths comparable to currently available reactor beams for neutron capture therapy. 10 refs., 5 figs.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-89ER60874
• OSTI ID: 5198169
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60874-2; CONF-901226-7; ON: DE91018873
• Resource Relation: Conference: 4. international symposium on neutron capture therapy, Sydney (Australia), 3-7 Dec 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS
NEUTRON SPECTRA
PRODUCTION
NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY
ACCELERATORS
BORON 10 REACTIONS
BRAIN
DESIGN
DOSIMETRY
LITHIUM 6 TARGET
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON BEAMS
BARYONS
BEAMS
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CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HEAVY ION REACTIONS
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NEUTRON THERAPY
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON BEAMS
NUCLEONS
ORGANS
PARTICLE BEAMS
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SPECTRA
TARGETS
THERAPY
550603* - Medicine- External Radiation in Therapy- (1980-)
430301 - Particle Accelerators- Ion Sources