Micro-radiosurgery: A new concept for radiotherapy based upon low energy, ion-induced nuclear reactions
Traditionally, proton radiotherapy has required the use of high energy proton beams (50--200 MeV) which can penetrate into a patients body to the site of a tumor that is to be destroyed through irradiation. However, substantial damage is still done to healthy tissue along the path of the incident proton beam, as 40% of that done at the tumor site. We propose a new concept for the production and delivery of energetic protons for use in medical radiotherapy, based upon the fact that low energy, ion-induced nuclear reactions can produce radiation products suitable for use in radiotherapy applications. By employing specially fabricated ``conduit needles`` to deliver beams of energetic ions to selected target materials plugging the end of the needle, ion beam-induced nuclear reactions can be generated at the needle tip, emitting reaction-specific radiation products directly at the tumor site In this paper, we show that the 13.6 MeV protons produced by the d({sup 3}He,p){sup 4}He nuclear reaction can deliver a lethal dose (7 krad) of radiation to a 4.4 millimeter sphere of tissue in only 30 seconds using a 1 microamp, 800 keV {sup 3}He ion beam. If also proven clinically feasible, the use of low energy, ion-induced nuclear reactions would allow the utilization of relatively inexpensive, compact, low-energy ion accelerators for proton radiotherapy and minimize unintended radiation damage to healthy tissue by providing much greater precision in controlling the irradiated volume.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 10106469
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--92-2410C; CONF-921116--15; ON: DE93003995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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