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. 2016 Mar-Apr;21(2):95-101.
doi: 10.1016/j.rpor.2014.11.004. Epub 2014 Dec 12.

Present status of Accelerator-Based BNCT

Andres Juan Kreiner  1 , Javier Bergueiro  2 , Daniel Cartelli  1 , Matias Baldo  2 , Walter Castell  2 , Javier Gomez Asoia  2 , Javier Padulo  2 , Juan Carlos Suárez Sandín  2 , Marcelo Igarzabal  2 , Julian Erhardt  2 , Daniel Mercuri  2 , Alejandro A Valda  3 , Daniel M Minsky  1 , Mario E Debray  3 , Hector R Somacal  3 , María Eugenia Capoulat  1 , María S Herrera  1 , Mariela F Del Grosso  4 , Leonardo Gagetti  1 , Manuel Suarez Anzorena  2 , Nicolas Canepa  2 , Nicolas Real  2 , Marcelo Gun  5 , Hernán Tacca  5
Affiliations

Present status of Accelerator-Based BNCT

Andres Juan Kreiner et al. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. 2016 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Aim: This work aims at giving an updated report of the worldwide status of Accelerator-Based BNCT (AB-BNCT).

Background: There is a generalized perception that the availability of accelerators installed in hospitals, as neutron sources, may be crucial for the advancement of BNCT. Accordingly, in recent years a significant effort has started to develop such machines.

Materials and methods: A variety of possible charged-particle induced nuclear reactions and the characteristics of the resulting neutron spectra are discussed along with the worldwide activity in suitable accelerator development.

Results: Endothermic (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be and (9)Be(p,n)(9)B and exothermic (9)Be(d,n)(10)B are compared. In addition to having much better thermo-mechanical properties than Li, Be as a target leads to stable products. This is a significant advantage for a hospital-based facility. (9)Be(p,n)(9)B needs at least 4-5 MeV bombarding energy to have a sufficient yield, while (9)Be(d,n)(10)B can be utilized at about 1.4 MeV, implying the smallest possible accelerator. This reaction operating with a thin target can produce a sufficiently soft spectrum to be viable for AB-BNCT. The machines considered are electrostatic single ended or tandem accelerators or radiofrequency quadrupoles plus drift tube Linacs.

Conclusions: (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be provides one of the best solutions for the production of epithermal neutron beams for deep-seated tumors. However, a Li-based target poses significant technological challenges. Hence, Be has been considered as an alternative target, both in combination with (p,n) and (d,n) reactions. (9)Be(d,n)(10)B at 1.4 MeV, with a thin target has been shown to be a realistic option for the treatment of deep-seated lesions.

Keywords: Accelerator-Based BNCT; Different nuclear reactions and accelerator types; Worldwide activity.

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