Conceptual designs of epithermal neutron beams for boron neutron capture therapy from low-power reactors

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:7100807

Liu, H B; Brugger, R M ^[1]

---

1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States). Medical Dept.

Convenient, economical epithermal neutrons beams will be needed in the future for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The authors studied two concepts for producing epithermal neutron beams with low-power reactors. The first design is a 100-kW reactor with a [sup 235]U fission plate placed outside the reflector region, plus an Al/Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] moderator assembly. The beam, which is directed forward, delivers a flux of epithermal neutrons of 0.8 [times] 10[sup 9] n/cm[sup 2] [center dot] s and a fast neutron dose of 4.4 [times] 10[sup [minus]11] cGy [center dot] cm[sup 2]/n[sub epi]. The second design is based on a slab reactor plus a similar Al/Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] moderator assembly. With an operating power of 50 kW, the beam has an intensity of 1.4 [times] 10[sup 9] n/cm[sup 2] [center dot] s and a fast neutron dose of 4.4 [times] 10[sup [minus]11] cGy [center dot] cm[sup 2]/n[sub epi]; this beam also is directed forward. These epithermal neutron beams should be acceptable for BNCT; a treatment could be completed in [approximately]1h, and the fast neutron dose to the skin would not be the limiting dose. Such small reactors should be practicable in a hospital location.

• OSTI ID: 7100807
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Vol. 108:2; ISSN 0029-5450
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY
NEUTRON SOURCES
RESEARCH REACTORS
DESIGN
ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BORON 10
EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS
NEUTRON REFLECTORS
SIZE
URANIUM 235
ACTINIDE ISO
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
BARYONS
BORON ISOTOPES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MEDICINE
METALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRON THERAPY
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SOURCES
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERAPY
URANIUM ISOTOPES
550603* - Medicine- External Radiation in Therapy- (1980-)
220600 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors