Effect of the Incident Photon Energy and the Thickness of the tungsten Target on the Efficiency of Photoneutron Production for the Treatment of Cancer Patients

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Medical Physics, Medical School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

3 Lecturer of Medical Physics,Department of Medical Physics, Medical School, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Background and Objective:Nowadays boron neutron capture applies as an alternative method to treat some cancers which do not respond to traditional radiation therapy. Considering that the epithermal neutron energy are useful for therapeutic purposes, achieve the maximum flux of the epithermal neutron has always been concerned. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the converter thickness and the photon energy incident on the neutron flux output and energy generated.
Subjects and Methods: In this study, using Monte Carlo simulation MCNPX6.2 code, a single pencil photon beam with energies 13, 15, 18, 20, 25 MeV and 2 mm diameter were employed. To optimize the design of the photoneutron target, tungsten target was tested at different thicknesses.
Results: The maximum of the neutron flux for all thicknesses and beam energy occurred at neutron energy peak 0.46MeV. Increasing thickness up to 2 cm showed the neutron flux was increased with increases in thickness and followed a downward trend.
Conclusion:The photon energy and the thickness of the tungsten target have a significant impact on the total neutron energy, energy spectrum and the average energy neutrons which depending on the neutron energy spectrum required should be selected. The use of a tungsten layer with a thickness of 2 cm and the 15MeV photon energy for production of maximum neutron flux with a minimum average energy is suggested.

Keywords

References

1-Hall EJ, Giaccia AJ. Radiobiology for the Radiologist: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006.
2-Slatkin DN. A history of boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumours. Brain. 1991;114(4):1609-29.
3-Bisceglie E, Colangelo P, Colonna N, Santorelli P, Variale V. On the optimal energy of epithermal neutron beams for BNCT. Physics in medicine and biology. 2000;45(1):49.
4-Allen D, Beynon T. A design study for an accelerator-based epithermal neutron beam for BNCT. Physics in medicine and biology. 1995;40(5):807.
5-Blue T, Yanch J. Accelerator-based epithermal neutron sources for boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumors. Journal of Neuro-oncology. 2003 March 2003;62(1):23.
6-Green S. Developments in accelerator based boron neutron capture therapy. Radiation Physics and Chemistry. 1998;51(4):561-9.
7-Kobayashi H, Kurihara T, Matsumoto H, Yoshioka M, Matsumoto N, Kumada H, et al. Construction of a BNCT facility using an 8-MeV high power proton linac in Ibaraki.
8-Kononov O, Kononov V, Bokhovko M, Korobeynikov V, Soloviev A, Sysoev A, et al. Optimization of an accelerator-based epithermal neutron source for neutron capture therapy. Applied radiation and isotopes. 2004;61(5):1009-13.
9-Floberg J. The physics of boron neutron capture therapy: an emerging and innovative treatment for glioblastoma and melanoma. Physics and Astronomy Comps Papers. 2005.
10-Bevilacqua R, Giannini G, Calligaris F, Fontanarosa D, Longo F, Scian G, et al. PhoNeS: A novel approach to BNCT with conventional radiotherapy accelerators. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2007;572(1):231-2.
11-Ludewigt B, Bleuel D, Chu W, Donahue R, Kwan J, Leung K, et al. Clinical requirements and accelerator concepts for BNCT. IEE E. 1998.
12-Naseri A, Mesbahi A. A review on photoneutrons characteristics in radiation therapy with high-energy photon beams. Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy. 2010;15(5):138-44.
13-Nigg D, Mitchell H, Harker Y. Computational and Experimental Studies of an Electron Accelerator Based Epithermal Photoneutron Source Facility for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. INEL BNCT Research Program Annual Report 1995. 1996:27.
14-Torabi F, Masoudi SF, Rahmani F, Rasouli FS. BSA optimization and dosimetric assessment for an electron linac based BNCT of deep‐seated brain tumors. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 2014;300(3):1167-74.
15-Salehi D, Sardari D, Jozani MS. Characteristics of a heavy water photoneutron source in boron neutron capture therapy. Chinese Physics C. 2013;37(7):078201.
16-Quintieri L, Bedogni R, Buonomo B, De Giorgi M, Chiti M, Esposito A, et al. A Photoneutron source at the Daϕne Beam Test Facility of the INFN National Laboratories in Frascati: design and first experimental results. Physics Procedia. 2012;26:249-60.
17-McGinley PH, Butker EK. Evaluation of neutron dose equivalent levels at the maze entrance of medical accelerator treatment rooms. Medical physics. 1991;18(2):279-81.
18-Rahmani F, Shahriari M. Hybrid photoneutron source optimization for electron accelerator-based BNCT. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2010;618(1):48-53.
19-Huang W, Li Q, Lin Y. Calculation of photoneutrons produced in the targets of electron linear accelerators for radiography and radiotherapy applications. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. 2005;229(3):339-47.
20-Giannini G, Borla O, Bevilacqua R, Zanini A, editors. Photoneutron source for in-hospital BNCT treatment: feasibility study. Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Neutron Capture Therapy Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan; 2006.
21-Jallu F, Lyoussi A, Payan E, Recroix H, Mariani A, Nurdin G, et al. Photoneutron production in tungsten, praseodymium, copper and beryllium by using high energy electron linear accelerator. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. 1999;155(4):373-81.
22-Chadwick M, Herman M, Obložinský P, Dunn ME, Danon Y, Kahler A, et al. ENDF/B-VII. 1 nuclear data for science and technology: cross sections, covariances, fission product yields and decay data. Nuclear Data Sheets. 2011;112(12):2887-996.
 
Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal
Volume 15, Issue 6 - Serial Number 105
January and February 2017
Pages 677-684

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 29 August 2016
  • Revise Date: 07 December 2016
  • Accept Date: 26 December 2016

Share

How to cite

Statistics