A Monte Carlo investigation of the dosimetric properties of monoenergetic neutron beams for neutron capture therapy

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Radiation Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3578165· OSTI ID:5462163

Yanch, J C; Zhou, X L; Brownell, G L ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA)

A Monte Carlo simulation study has been carried out to investigate the suitability of neutron beams of various energies for therapeutic efficacy in boron neutron capture therapy. The dosimetric properties of unidirectional, monoenergetic neutron beams of varying diameters in two different phantoms (a right-circular cylinder and an ellipsoid) made of brain-equivalent material were examined. The source diameter was varied from 0.0 to 20.0 cm; neutron energies ranged from 0.025 eV up to 800 keV, the maximum neutron energy generated by a tandem cascade accelerator using 2.5-MeV protons in a {sup 7}Li(p,n){sup 7}Be reaction. Such a device is currently under investigation for use as a neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy. The simulation studies indicate that the maximum effective treatment depth (advantage depth) in the brain is 10.0 cm and is obtainable with a 10-keV neutron beam. A useful range of energies, defined as those neutron energies capable of effectively treating to a depth of 7 cm in brain tissue, is found to be 4.0 eV to 40.0 keV. Beam size is shown not to affect advantage depth as long as the entire phantom volume is used in determining this depth. Dose distribution in directions parallel to and perpendicular to the beam direction are shown to illustrate this phenomenon graphically as well as to illustrate the differences in advantage depth and advantage ratio and the contribution of individual dose components to tumor dose caused by the geometric differences in phantom shape.

• OSTI ID: 5462163
• Journal Information: Radiation Research; (USA), Journal Name: Radiation Research; (USA) Vol. 126:1; ISSN 0033-7587; ISSN RAREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550603 -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Therapy-- (1980-)
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
655003* -- Medical Physics-- Dosimetry
BEAMS
BODY
BORON ISOTOPES
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DEPTH DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
DISEASES
DOSE EQUIVALENTS
DOSES
DOSIMETRY
ISOTOPES
MEDICINE
MOCKUP
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEOPLASMS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUTRON BEAMS
NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY
NEUTRON THERAPY
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEON BEAMS
ORGANS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PHANTOMS
RADIATION DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SPATIAL DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
STRUCTURAL MODELS
THERAPY