TY  - JOUR
ID  - eprints3059
N1  - SI: 7th Young {BNCT} meeting. - 
Published online: August 10, 2015.
EP  -  122
SN  - 1507-1367
N2  - AbstractAim To employ the thermal neutron background that affects the patient during a traditional high-energy radiotherapy treatment for {BNCT} (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) in order to enhance radiotherapy effectiveness. Background Conventional high-energy (15?25 MV) linear accelerators (LINACs) for radiotherapy produce fast secondary neutrons in the gantry with a mean energy of about 1 MeV due to (?, n) reaction. This neutron flux, isotropically distributed, is considered as an unavoidable undesired dose during the treatment. Considering the moderating effect of human body, a thermal neutron fluence is localized in the tumour area: this neutron background could be employed for {BNCT} by previously administering 10B-Phenyl-Alanine (10BPA) to the patient. Materials and methods Monte Carlo simulations (MCNP4B-GN code) were performed to estimate the total amount of neutrons outside and inside human body during a traditional X-ray radiotherapy treatment. Moreover, a simplified tissue equivalent anthropomorphic phantom was used together with bubble detectors for thermal and fast neutron to evaluate the moderation effect of human body. Results Simulation and experimental results confirm the thermal neutron background during radiotherapy of 1.55E07 cm?2 Gy?1. The {BNCT} equivalent dose delivered at 4 cm depth in phantom is 1.5 mGy-eq/Gy, that is about 3 Gy-eq (4 of X-rays dose) for a 70 Gy {IMRT} treatment. Conclusions The thermal neutron component during a traditional high-energy radiotherapy treatment could produce a localized {BNCT} effect, with a localized therapeutic dose enhancement, corresponding to 4 or more of photon dose, following tumour characteristics. This {BNCT} additional dose could thus improve radiotherapy, acting as a localized radio-sensitizer.
KW  - Neutron; BNCT; e-LINAC; Photo-production
TI  - Radiotherapy dose enhancement using {BNCT} in conventional {LINACs} high-energy treatment: Simulation and experiment
AV  - none
UR  - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1507136715000954
VL  - 21
PB  - Elsevier
A1  - Alikaniotis, Katia
A1  - Borla, Oscar
A1  - Monti, Valeria
A1  - Vivaldo, Gianna
A1  - Zanini, Alba
A1  - Giannini, Gianrossano
SP  - 117 
Y1  - 2016///
IS  - 2
JF  - Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy
ER  -