Boron Neutron Capture Therapy: tecnica e sorgenti

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Boron Neutron Capture Therapy tecnica e sorgenti
Alba Zanini
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Whats BNCT
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy is a binary form of
cancer therapy
It uses a boron-containing compound that
preferentially concentrates in tumor sites BPA
Boronophenylalanine BSH Sulfhydryl borane
The tumor site is irradiated by a neutron beam
Neutrons interact with the boron in the tumor
damage is done to the tumor cell
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BNCT Cell-killing mechanism
(1.47 MeV)

• Emission of high LET and low range ions
• 4He2 (9 mm)
• 7Li3 (6 mm)
• These ranges are comparable with the average cell
  diameter.
• The ionizations are responsible of the DNA double
  strand break and this effect is lethal at least
  in 95 of cases.

(0.48 MeV)
(0.84 MeV)
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Patologies treated with BNCT neutron source
REACTOR

• Epithermal neutron to treat
• Brain tumour
• Fir-1 Espoo Helsinki, Finland
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Studsvik, Sweden
• High Flux Reactor Petten, Netherlands
• Head and Neck tumour
• Kyoto University Reasearch Reactor, Japan

• Thermal neutron to treat
• Melanoma
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• RA-6 Reactor at the Bariloche Atomic Center
  Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Explanted Liver
• Triga Mark II reactor Pavia, Italy

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Novel neutron sources for BNCT
Disadvantages of nuclear reactors

• Reactors are large, expensive and subject to
  strict regulations, making them unsuitable for
  in-hospital treatment.

SEARCH for in-hospital neutron sources

• Charged-particle accelerators,
• compact neutron generators
• LINAC accelerator for radiotherapy (PHONES, INFN
  project).

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Innovative Neutron Sources for in-hospital
treatment
Compact neutron generator based on D-D or D-T
fusion reaction. Collaborations with Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory (CA, USA), EUROSEA
(To), S. Giovanni A. S. Hospital (To)
Phononeutron reaction (g,n) in linear accelerator
head. Collaborations with INFN Trieste, Gemelli
Hospital (Roma)
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BSA and figures of merit
Thermal neutrons are nedeed for surface treatment
(En lt 0.04 eV) Epithermal neutrons are nedeed for
in depth treatment (0.04 eVlt En lt 10 keV) such as
brain tumour.
Free beam parameters IAEA recommended values
Beam Shaping Assembly
Study of different materials and thicknesses in
order to optimize the neutron energy spectrum
delivering highest dose to the tumour and
minimizing undesired dose to patients body.
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Publications I. Akkurt, J.-O. Adler, J.R.M.
Annand, K.W. Burn, F. Fasolo, K. Hansen, C.
Ongaro, A. Reiter, G. Rosner and A. Zanini,
Photoneutron Yields from Tungsten in the Energy
range of the Giant Dipole Resonance ,Physics in
Medicine and Biology 48 (2003), 3345 3352 . A.
Zanini, E. Durisi, F. Fasolo, C. Ongaro, L.
Visca, U. Nastasi, K.W. Burn, G. Scielzo, J. O.
Adler, J.R.M. Annand and G. Rosner, MC
simulation of the photoneutron field in LINAC
radiotherapy treatment with different collimation
systems, Physics in Medicine and Biology 49
(4) 571-582. A. Zanini, F. Fasolo, E. Durisi, L.
Visca, C. Ongaro, U. Nastasi, K.W. Burn and
J.R.M. Annand, Neutron spectra in a tissue
equivalent phantom during photon radiotherapy
treatment by LINACS, Proceeding of the 9th
Neutron dosimetry Symposium, Delft University of
Technology, Nederland, September 28th- October
3rd, 2003. Radiation Protection Dosimetry (2004),
Vol. 110, Nos 1-4. G. Rosi, G. Gambarini, V.
Colli, L. scolari, O. Fiorani, A. Perrone, A.
Zanini and P. Colautti, Dose measurement in the
thermal column of TAPIRO reactor Proceeding of
the 9th Neutron dosimetry Symposium, Delft
University of Technology, Nederland, September
28th- October 3rd, 2003. Radiation Protection
Dosimetry (2004), Vol. 110, Nos 1-4. G.
Gambarini, C. Colombi, V. Colli, L. Scolari, L.
Pirola, A. Zanini, G. Rosi, K.W. Burn and C.
Petrovich, In-phantom profiling of absorbed dose
in bnct intercomparison of different experimetal
methods and calculations Proceeding of the 9th
Neutron dosimetry Symposium, Delft University of
Technology, Nederland, September 28th- October
3rd, 2003. Radiation Protection Dosimetry (2004),
Vol. 110, Nos 1-4. A. Zanini, E. Durisi, F.
Fasolo, C. Ongaro, U. Nastasi, K.W. Burn, G.
Scielzo and M. Fabris, A dosimetric system for
the evaluation of undesired neutron dose in
radiotherapy treatmentes with photons
experimental method and MC simulation,
proceeding del Workshop on Radiation
DosimetryBasic Technologies, Medical
Applications, Environmental Applicatons, su
Frascati Physics Series Vol. XXIX (2003),
pp.89-96.