Evaluation of an iron-filtered epithermal neutron beam for neutron-capture therapy

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Medical Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1118/1.596635· OSTI ID:5320062

Musolino, S V ^[1]; McGinley, P H ^[2]; Greenwood, R C ^[3]; Kliauga, P ^[4]; Fairchild, R G ^[5]

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1. Safety and Environmental Protection Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (USA)
2. Nuclear Engineering and Health Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (USA)
3. Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
4. College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street NY (USA)
5. Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (USA)

An epithermal neutron filter using iron, aluminum, and sulfur was evaluated to determine if the therapeutic performance could be improved with respect to aluminum--sulfur-based filters. An empirically optimized filter was developed that delivered a 93% pure beam of 24-keV epithermal neutrons. It was expected that a thick filter using iron with a density thickness {gt}200 g/cm{sup 2} would eliminate the excess gamma contamination found in Al--S filters. This research showed that prompt gamma production from neutron interactions in iron was the dominant dose component. Dosimetric parameters of the beam were determined from the measurement of absorbed dose in air, thermal neutron flux in a head phantom, neutron and gamma spectroscopy, and microdosimetry.

• OSTI ID: 5320062
• Journal Information: Medical Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Medical Physics; (United States) Vol. 18:4; ISSN 0094-2405; ISSN MPHYA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550603* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Therapy-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ALUMINIUM
BARYONS
BODY
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DISEASES
DOSES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
FILTERS
HADRONS
IRON
MEDICINE
METALS
NEOPLASMS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY
NEUTRON THERAPY
NEUTRONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEONS
ORGANS
RADIATION DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SPATIAL DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
SULFUR
THERAPY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS