Status of low-energy accelerator-based BNCT worldwide and in Argentina.

Existing and active low-energy Accelerator-Based BNCT programs worldwide will be reviewed and compared. In particular, the program in Argentina will be discussed which consists of the development of an Electro-Static-Quadrupole (ESQ) Accelerator-Based treatment facility. The facility is conceived to operate with the deuteron-induced reactions 9Be(d,n)10B and 13C(d,n)14N at 1.45 MeV deuteron energy, as neutron sources. Neutron production target development status is specified. The present status of the construction of the new accelerator development laboratory and future BNCT centre is shown.

A 13C(d,n)-based epithermal neutron source for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy.

PURPOSE: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) requires neutron sources suitable for in-hospital siting. Low-energy particle accelerators working in conjunction with a neutron producing reaction are the most appropriate choice for this purpose. One of the possible nuclear reactions is 13C(d,n)14N. The aim of this work is to evaluate the therapeutic capabilities of the neutron beam produced by this reaction, through a 30mA beam of deuterons of 1.45MeV. METHODS: A Beam Shaping Assembly design was computationally optimized. Depth dose profiles in a Snyder head phantom were simulated with the MCNP code for a number of BSA configurations. In order to optimize the treatment capabilities, the BSA configuration was determined as the one that allows maximizing both the tumor dose and the penetration depth while keeping doses to healthy tissues under the tolerance limits. RESULTS: Significant doses to tumor tissues were achieved up to ∼6cm in depth. Peak doses up to 57Gy-Eq can be delivered in a fractionated scheme of 2 irradiations of approximately 1h each. In a single 1h irradiation, lower but still acceptable doses to tumor are also feasible. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment capabilities obtained here are comparable to those achieved with other accelerator-based neutron sources, making of the 13C(d,n)14N reaction a realistic option for producing therapeutic neutron beams through a low-energy particle accelerator.

Present status of accelerator-based BNCT: Focus on developments in Argentina.

In this work we provide some information on the present status of accelerator-based BNCT (AB-BNCT) worldwide and subsequently concentrate on the recent accelerator technology developments in Argentina.

Accelerator-based BNCT.

The activity in accelerator development for accelerator-based BNCT (AB-BNCT) both worldwide and in Argentina is described. Projects in Russia, UK, Italy, Japan, Israel, and Argentina to develop AB-BNCT around different types of accelerators are briefly presented. In particular, the present status and recent progress of the Argentine project will be reviewed. The topics will cover: intense ion sources, accelerator tubes, transport of intense beams, beam diagnostics, the (9)Be(d,n) reaction as a possible neutron source, Beam Shaping Assemblies (BSA), a treatment room, and treatment planning in realistic cases.

(9)Be(d,n)(10)B-based neutron sources for BNCT.

In the frame of accelerator-based BNCT, the (9)Be(d,n)(10)B reaction was investigated as a possible source of epithermal neutrons. In order to determine the configuration in terms of bombarding energy, target thickness and Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA) design that results in the best possible beam quality, a systematic optimization study was carried out. From this study, the optimal configuration resulted in tumor doses ≥40Gy-Eq, with a maximum value of 51Gy-Eq at a depth of about 2.7cm, in a 60min treatment. The optimal configuration was considered for the treatment planning assessment of a real Glioblastoma Multiforme case. From this, the resulted dose performances were comparable to those obtained with an optimized (7)Li(p,n)-based neutron source, under identical conditions and subjected to the same clinical protocol.

Computational assessment of deep-seated tumor treatment capability of the 9Be(d,n)10B reaction for accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT).

The 9Be(d,n)10B reaction was studied as an epithermal neutron source for brain tumor treatment through Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). In BNCT, neutrons are classified according to their energies as thermal (<0.5 eV), epithermal (from 0.5 eV to 10 keV) or fast (>10 keV). For deep-seated tumors epithermal neutrons are needed. Since a fraction of the neutrons produced by this reaction are quite fast (up to 5-6 MeV, even for low-bombarding energies), an efficient beam shaping design is required. This task was carried out (1) by selecting the combinations of bombarding energy and target thickness that minimize the highest-energy neutron production; and (2) by the appropriate choice of the Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA) geometry, for each of the combinations found in (1). The BSA geometry was determined as the configuration that maximized the dose deliverable to the tumor in a 1 h treatment, within the constraints imposed by the healthy tissue dose adopted tolerance. Doses were calculated through the MCNP code. The highest dose deliverable to the tumor was found for an 8 µm target and a deuteron beam of 1.45 MeV. Tumor weighted doses ≥40 Gy can be delivered up to about 5 cm in depth, with a maximum value of 51 Gy at a depth of about 2 cm. This dose performance can be improved by relaxing the treatment time constraint and splitting the treatment into two 1-h sessions. These good treatment capabilities strengthen the prospects for a potential use of this reaction in BNCT.

Applicability of the 9Be(d,n)10B reaction to AB-BNCT skin and deep tumor treatment.

In the range of low bombarding energies (less than about 1.5 MeV) the (9)Be(d,n)(10)B reaction produces neutron spectra that can be moderated depending on the choice of the target thickness and the deuteron bombarding energy. In this work, a Monte Carlo simulation study to determine the capability of this reaction to deliver enough dose to efficiently control both skin and deep seated tumors has been performed by means of MCNP calculations using eight optimized (9)Be targets.

Development of a Tandem-Electrostatic-Quadrupole facility for Accelerator-Based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy.

We describe the present status of an ongoing project to develop a Tandem-ElectroStatic-Quadrupole (TESQ) accelerator facility for Accelerator-Based (AB)-BNCT. The project final goal is a machine capable of delivering 30 mA of 2.4 MeV protons to be used in conjunction with a neutron production target based on the (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be reaction. The machine currently being constructed is a folded TESQ with a high-voltage terminal at 0.6 MV. We report here on the progress achieved in a number of different areas.

Standardization of 241Am by digital coincidence counting, liquid scintillation counting and defined solid angle counting.

The nuclide (241)Am decays by alpha emission to (237)Np. Most of the decays (84.6%) populate the excited level of (237)Np with energy of 59.54 keV. Digital coincidence counting was applied to standardize a solution of (241)Am by alpha-gamma coincidence counting with efficiency extrapolation. Electronic discrimination was implemented with a pressurized proportional counter and the results were compared with two other independent techniques: Liquid scintillation counting using the logical sum of double coincidences in a TDCR array and defined solid angle counting taking into account activity inhomogeneity in the active deposit. The results show consistency between the three methods within a limit of a 0.3%. An ampoule of this solution will be sent to the International Reference System (SIR) during 2009. Uncertainties were analysed and compared in detail for the three applied methods.

General data analysis code for TDCR liquid scintillation counting.

A non-radionuclide-specific computer code to analyze data, calculate detection efficiency and activity in a TDCR system is presented. The program was developed prioritizing flexibility in measuring conditions, parameters and calculation models. It is also intended to be well structured in order to easily replace subroutines which could eventually be improved by the user. It is written in standard FORTRAN language but a graphical interface is also available. Several tests were performed to check the ability of the code to deal with different decay schemes such as H-3, C-14, Fe-55, Mn-54 and Co-60.