硼中子俘获治疗的加速器中子源7Li(p,n)7Be的中子特性研究

目的 通过研究质子加速器 ⁷Li(p,n)⁷Be 反应的中子特性,为研究和制作适用于硼中子俘获治疗(BNCT)的加速器中子源提供基础数据。方法 加速质子使其轰击Li靶后产生中子;通过金属箔活化法,测量中子与In箔发生阈值反应后放出的γ射线;然后计算出In箔的放射性活度、加速器反应后放出中子的注量和反应的微分截面。结果 质子加速轰击Li靶后,在不同方向产生不同能量和注量的中子。加速器电压分别为3.0、2.8和2.6 MV,出射中子与入射质子束的方向一致时, ⁷Li(p,n)⁷Be 反应的微分截面约为50 mb/mr;夹角为60°时,反应的微分截面减小到30 mb/mr左右。由于部分中子与其他金属原子等发生弹性散射而射向后方,提高了这一范围内In箔的比放射性活度,影响了其微分截面的准确性。结论 用金属箔活化法测定中子简便易行,可同时测得多个方向的中子分布,但需对中子与其他金属弹性散射产生的影响进行进一步的研究; ⁷Li(p,n)⁷Be 反应后发射出的中子经慢化后,能得到适于BNCT治疗的热中子和超热中子;若作为BNCT的中子源,加速器的质子束流需达到10 mA。     

宽能中子辐射个人防护材料研究

目的 研究可用于制作宽能中子辐射个人防护用品的柔性屏蔽材料。方法 依据理论计算结果配比加工实验用材料样品,利用²⁵²Cf裂变中子和加速器单能中子开展中子屏蔽效率实验。结果 给出了1.5 cm厚含10％碳化硼(B₄C)的乙丙橡胶板对144 keV等6个单能中子和²⁵²Cf裂变中子的屏蔽效率,其中对²⁵²Cf裂变中子的屏蔽效率为31.02%,对144 keV中子的屏蔽效率可达到76.9％。结论 以乙丙橡胶为基材掺入B₄C研制的个人中子防护柔性材料对不同能量中子辐射均有一定屏蔽效果,可用于制作宽能中子个人防护用品。     

剂量率参考控制水平对加速器屏蔽设计的影响

目的 探讨剂量率参考控制水平对加速器屏蔽设计的影响.方法 根据GBZ 126-2011、GBZ/T 201.1-2007、GBZ/T 201.2-2011中关于加速器机房辐射屏蔽的要求,分别采用剂量率参考控制水平计算方法和周剂量控制水平计算方法对加速器机房的主屏蔽进行计算,并对计算的屏蔽厚度进行比较.结果 在周最大工作负荷相同的情况下,当计算的剂量率参考控制值大于剂量参考控制水平2.5 μSv/h时,计算结果会出现差异,屏蔽厚度差值最大达64 cm.15 MV能量的屏蔽厚度差值大于6 MV.同时,考虑了剂量率参考控制水平的情况下,加速器剂量率不同,所计算的机房的屏蔽厚度也不同.结论 在屏蔽计算时,首先要估算参考点的剂量率,满足剂量率参考控制水平的条件下再进行计算.     

医用加速器机房迷路辐射水平的测量与分析

目的 通过医用加速器机房迷路内辐射水平的测量与分析,为职业照射的控制提供科学依据,为理论模拟计算积累实验数据。方法 利用剂量率仪测量加速器机房迷路内的辐射水平,并对测量结果进行理论分析。结果 医用加速器机房出入口处杂散X-γ射线剂量率与机头朝向有关,并随照射野的减小而降低;杂散中子剂量率水平主要取决于加速器粒子的能量和输出剂量,随照射野的变化不明显。同时,医用加速器机房出入口处杂散X-γ射线和中子剂量率与医用加速器机房迷路的辐射防护设计密切相关。结论 合理改善医用加速器机房迷路的辐射防护设计是降低医用加速器机房出入口处X-γ射线和中子剂量率水平的行之有效的措施。     

硼中子俘获治疗(BNCT)设备中子束流质量控制检测项分析

目的通过对医院中子照射器(IHNI)的超热中子束流辐射特性参数和剂量学特性参数的检测, 为建立硼中子俘获治疗(BNCT)设备中子束流的质量控制检测方法提供参考。方法通过对比各项检测结果的不确定度与欧洲联合研究中心(EC-JRC)推荐的偏差值, 分析评估相应检测方法的可行性。结果超热中子注量率的不确定度为2.7%;热中子与超热中子注量率比值的不确定度为3.1%;快中子空气比释动能率与超热中子注量率比值的不确定度为9.3%;γ空气比释动能率与超热中子注量率比值的不确定度为8.7%;中子注量率空间分布的不确定度为2.7%;模体内热中子注量率的不确定度为1.8%;模体内中子和γ射线剂量率的不确定度分别为17.1%和4.0%。结论模体内中子剂量率测量结果不确定度高, 需要进一步研究该项检测方法来提高检测结果的准确度;其余检测项测量结果不确定度低, 检测结果准确度预期能满足欧洲联合研究中心的推荐允许偏差值, 检测方法可行。     

重混凝土屏蔽质子放疗机房的感生放射性估算

目的 估算肿瘤质子治疗时重混凝土屏蔽墙中铁元素因中子活化产生的感生放射性⁵⁶Mn及其水平。方法 采用Geant4程序构建某质子治疗机房的重混凝土屏蔽墙模型,模拟245 MeV的质子束照射水模体产生的次级中子,统计屏蔽墙内放射性核素⁵⁶Mn的分布。将屏蔽墙按每10 cm厚度分层,计算前3层屏蔽墙中放射性核素⁵⁶Mn产生的周围剂量当量率。结果 在最大的束流照射条件（1.872×10¹⁰个）下,前3层屏蔽墙内的放射性核素⁵⁶Mn个数分别为3.10×10⁸、1.60×10⁸和9.33×10⁸个;对治疗室内1 m远处产生的周围剂量当量率分别为2.13×10^-3、8.82×10^-4 和9.10×10^-4 μSv/h,总的周围剂量当量率为3.92×10^-3 μSv/h。结论 在质子治疗时,距离射束中心轴越近,屏蔽墙的感生放射性越强;屏蔽墙前端中子活化铁元素产生的感生放射性最强,感生放射性随着屏蔽墙厚度增大呈指数形式减小,应主要考虑质子治疗机房屏蔽墙前端产生的感生放射性。     

装饰装修用石材所致室内γ外照射剂量率的估算方法研究

目的 建立更加准确估算装饰装修用石材所致室内γ外照射剂量率的方法。方法 结合室内空间模型和装饰装修情况,基于MonteCarlo方法计算铺设不同面积和厚度石材后室内离地1m中心处的外照射剂量率和剂量率转换系数,并开展实验测量验证;结合计算结果,进一步探讨装饰装修用石材的放射性含量限值。结果 在同一室内,随着石材铺设厚度或面积增加,石材中放射性核素所致室内γ剂量率随之增大。在相同铺设面积条件下,剂量率转换系数随铺设厚度近似线性增加;在相同铺设厚度条件下,剂量率转换系数随铺设面积增加而增加,但增加呈减缓趋势。在铺设相同石材情况下,房间越小,γ剂量率增加越大。模拟计算值与实测结果在±20%以内吻合。结论 装饰装修用石材所致室内γ外照射剂量率的增加不仅与石材中的放射性核素含量有关,而且还依赖于石材的铺设面积、厚度以及房间大小。本研究的计算方法可更加准确估算出装饰装修石材所致居民的附加外照射剂量,可为修订装饰装修材料中放射性核素含量限值标准提供理论依据。     

上海市质子重离子医院临床实践中放射治疗师的职业照射水平评估

目的 评估上海市质子重离子医院质子重离子临床实践过程中,放射治疗师的职业照射水平。方法 通过简单随机抽样方法选取2016年9-11月治疗的40例患者,其中接受质子和重离子治疗各20例。记录每个患者的粒子类型、粒子总数、处方剂量。利用光子/中子辐射剂量仪分别测量出束过程中控制室内剂量率、出束结束1 min后距肿瘤最近的皮肤处剂量率、距肿瘤约30 cm处（治疗师立位处）的剂量率;最后测量固定装置、床、机械臂、束流应用及监测系统（BAMS）窗口处的剂量率。分析影响治疗师的职业照射水平的因素,评估该院治疗师的年平均剂量。结果 治疗结束约1 min后,距肿瘤最近的皮肤处剂量率为（20.68±21.91）μSv/h,此处是各测量点位中剂量率最大的点位,且与治疗用的粒子总数呈显著正相关（r=0.828,P<0.05）,受质子或重离子照射后的肿瘤是本研究中治疗师职业照射的辐射源;距肿瘤约30 cm处（治疗师立位处）的平均剂量率为（2.03±2.84）μSv/h;控制室内剂量率为（0.08±0.01）μSv/h,患者的固定装置、床、机械臂、BAMS窗口处的剂量率为（0.09±0.01）μSv/h;未检测到中子,放疗师受到的年平均剂量为0.508 mSv。结论 上海市质子重离子医院放射治疗师受到的年平均剂量处于较低水平。     

中外近距离治疗机房辐射屏蔽设计标准应用比对

目的 中外近距离治疗机房辐射屏蔽设计考虑因素不尽相同,本研究以常见的高剂量率¹⁹²Ir源为例,分别应用国内外标准进行后装机房的屏蔽核算,比较计算结果分析差异产生的原因,为修订和完善现行国家标准提供参考。方法 对于典型的后装机房进行工作量估算,放射源初始活度10 Ci （1 Ci=3.7×10¹⁰ Bq）,分别按照英国医学物理与工程研究所IPEM75号报告、美国辐射防护委员会NCRP151报告和GBZ/T 201.3-2014国家标准设计后装机房屏蔽方案,详细比较不同参考标准的屏蔽限值、居留因子及其他因子的差异。结果 典型后装机房的年照射时长约为330 h,按照NCRP151报告、IPEM法规和GBZ/T 201.3-2014国家标准计算得到的控制室、屏蔽墙外、候诊区、相邻控制室和无人居留室顶等关注点位所需的混凝土厚度分别为70、65、61、70、50 cm,41、43、30、40、39 cm和84、79、46、88、39 cm。按照GBZ/T 201.3-2014国家标准计算得到的相应关注点所需的混凝土屏蔽厚度普遍偏厚,与NCRP151报告结果差别较小,IPEM75号报告计算得到的屏蔽厚度最薄;三者计算出的防护门的等效铅屏蔽厚度分别为1.170、0.854和1.040 cm,厚度相近。结论 我国现行后装机房屏蔽标准所推荐的计算方法和评价指标计算得到的屏蔽厚度与NCRP151报告的相似但偏保守,特别是现行国家推荐标中要求的瞬时剂量当量率评价指标以及过于保守的居留因子取值会显著增加主屏蔽区所需的屏蔽厚度。     

质子治疗机房的屏蔽设计方案国内外比较

目的 探讨国内外不同辐射防护标准对质子治疗机房屏蔽设计的影响。方法 以一个多室质子中心机房为例,分别根据美国国家辐射防护与测量委员会（NCRP）151号报告、新加坡辐射防护法案、英国ACoP指南以及国家标准GBZ/T 201.5-2015规定的辐射防护限值,得到相应的屏蔽方案。比较各个机房间隔墙和机房与控制室间隔墙厚度,在保持各个机房设计尺寸不变的前提下,从机房有效使用面积、建设成本等方面讨论上述4种屏蔽方案的差异性。结果 由NCRP 151号报告计算得到的各机房墙体（A~F）厚度最薄,由国家标准计算得到的墙体厚度最厚,其中两个旋转治疗室间隔墙厚度增加了1倍以上,总的治疗室使用面积减少17.69%,总建筑材料成本增加44万元。结论 通过比较不同屏蔽标准对质子治疗机房设计的影响,发现与其他国际法规或标准相比,我国现行的质子机房辐射屏蔽标准远高于其他国家,这会显著增加机房的屏蔽墙厚度,对国内的质子治疗技术的发展及将来升级到超高剂量率治疗模式都有一定影响。建议参考质子治疗技术相对成熟的国家标准和经验,适当放宽瞬时剂量率限值条件,增加更能反映现实治疗工况的时间平均剂量率（time averaged dose rate,TADR）限值条件,以更好地实现机房屏蔽设计的最优化原则。     

Characteristics of the new THOR epithermal neutron beam for BNCT.

A characterization of the new Tsing Hua open-pool reactor (THOR) epithermal neutron beam designed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has been performed. The facility is currently under construction and expected in completion in March 2004. The designed epithermal neutron flux for 1 MW power is 1.7x10(9)n cm(-2)s(-1) in air at the beam exit, accompanied by photon and fast neutron absorbed dose rates of 0.21 and 0.47 mGys(-1), respectively. With (10)B concentrations in normal tissue and tumor of 11.4 and 40 ppm, the calculated advantage depth dose rate to the modified Snyder head phantom is 0.53RBE-Gymin(-1) at the advantage depth of 85 mm, giving an advantage ratio of 4.8. The dose patterns determined by the NCTPlan treatment planning system using the new THOR beam for a patient treated in the Harvard-MIT clinical trial were compared with results of the MITR-II M67 beam. The present study confirms the suitability of the new THOR beam for possible BNCT clinical trials.     

MCNP study for epithermal neutron irradiation of an isolated liver at the Finnish BNCT facility.

A successful boron neutron capture treatment (BNCT) of a patient with multiple liver metastases has been first given in Italy, by placing the removed organ into the thermal neutron column of the Triga research reactor of the University of Pavia. In Finland, FiR 1 Triga reactor with an epithermal neutron beam well suited for BNCT has been extensively used to irradiate patients with brain tumors such as glioblastoma and recently also head and neck tumors. In this work we have studied by MCNP Monte Carlo simulations, whether it would be beneficial to treat an isolated liver with epithermal neutrons instead of thermal ones. The results show, that the epithermal field penetrates deeper into the liver and creates a build-up distribution of the boron dose. Our results strongly encourage further studying of irradiation arrangement of an isolated liver with epithermal neutron fields.     

Epithermal neutron beam interference with cardiac pacemakers

In this paper, a phantom study was performed to evaluate the effect of an epithermal neutron beam irradiation on the cardiac pacemaker function. Severe malfunction occurred in the pacemakers after substantially lower dose from epithermal neutron irradiation than reported in the fast neutron or photon beams at the same dose rate level. In addition the pacemakers got activated, resulting in nuclides with half-lives from 25 min to 115 d. We suggest that BNCT should be administrated only after removal of the pacemaker from the vicinity of the tumor.     

A feasibility study of the Tehran research reactor as a neutron source for BNCT

Investigation on the use of the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) as a neutron source for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) has been performed by calculating and measuring energy spectrum and the spatial distribution of neutrons in all external irradiation facilities, including six beam tubes, thermal column, and the medical room. Activation methods with multiple foils and a copper wire have been used for the mentioned measurements. The results show that (1) the small diameter and long length beam tubes cannot provide sufficient neutron flux for BNCT; (2) in order to use the medical room, the TRR core should be placed in the open pool position, in this situation the distance between the core and patient position is about 400 cm, so neutron flux cannot be sufficient for BNCT; and (3) the best facility which can be adapted for BNCT application is the thermal column, if all graphite blocks can be removed. The epithermal and fast neutron flux at the beginning of this empty column are 4.12×10⁹ and 1.21×10⁹ n/cm²/s, respectively, which can provide an appropriate neutron beam for BNCT by designing and constructing a proper Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA) structure.     

In-phantom characterisation studies at the Birmingham Accelerator-Generated epIthermal Neutron Source (BAGINS) BNCT facility.

A broad experimental campaign to validate the final epithermal neutron beam design for the BNCT facility constructed at the University of Birmingham concluded in November 2003. The final moderator and facility designs are overviewed briefly, followed by a summary of the dosimetric methods and presentation of a small subset of the results from this campaign. The dual ionisation chamber technique was used together with foil activation to quantify the fast neutron, photon, and thermal neutron beam dose components in a large rectangular phantom exposed to the beam with a 12 cm diameter beam delimiter in place. After application of a normalisation factor, dose measurements agree with in-phantom MCNP4C predictions within 10% for the photon dose, within 10% for thermal neutron dose, and within 25% for the proton recoil dose along the main beam axis.     

Resumption of JRR-4 and characteristics of neutron beam for BNCT

The clinical trials of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) have been conducted using Japan Research Reactor No. 4 (JRR-4) at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). On December 28th, 2007, a crack of a graphite reflector in the reactor core was found on the weld of the aluminum cladding. For this reason, specifications of graphite reflectors were renewed; dimensions of the graphite were reduced and gaps of water were increased. All existing graphite reflectors of JRR-4 were replaced by new graphite reflectors. In February 2010 the resumption of JRR-4 was carried out with new graphite reflectors. We measured the characteristics of neutron beam at the JRR-4 Neutron Beam Facility. A cylindrical water phantom of 18.6 cm diameter and 24 cm depth was set in front of the beam port with 1 cm gap. TLDs and gold wires were inserted within the phantom when the phantom was irradiated. The results of the measured thermal neutron flux and the gamma dose in water were compared with that of MCNP calculation. The neutron energy spectrum of the calculation model with new reflector had little variation compared to that with old reflector, but intensities of the neutron flux and gamma dose with new reflector were rather smaller than those with old reflector. The calculated results showed the same tendency as that of the experimental results. Therefore, the clinical trials of BNCT in JRR-4 could be restarted.     

A review of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and the design and dosimetry of a high-intensity, 24 keV, neutron beam for BNCT research

This paper reviews the development of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and describes the design and dosimetry of an intermediate energy neutron beam, developed at the Harwell Laboratory, principally for BNCT research. Boron neutron capture therapy is a technique for the treatment of gliomas (a fatal form of brain tumour). The technique involves preferentially attaching 10B atoms to tumour cells and irradiating them with thermal neutrons. The thermal neutron capture products of 10B are short range and highly damaging, so they kill the tumour cells, but healthy tissue is relatively undamaged. Early trials required extensive neurosurgery to exposure the tumour to the thermal neutrons used and were unsuccessful. It is thought that intermediate-energy neutrons will overcome many of the problems encountered in the early trials, because they have greater penetration prior to thermalization, so that surgery will not be required. An intermediate-energy neutron beam has been developed at the Harwell Laboratory for research into BNCT. Neutrons from the core of a high-flux nuclear reactor are filtered with a combination of iron, aluminium and sulphur. Dosimetry measurements have been made to determine the neutron and gamma-ray characteristics of this beam, and to monitor them throughout the four cycles used for BNCT research. The beam is of high intensity (approximately 2 x 10(7) neutrons cm-2 s-1, equivalent to a neutron kerma rate in water of 205 mGy h-1) and nearly monoenergetic (93% of the neutrons have energies approximately 24 keV, corresponding to 79% of the neutron kerma rate).     

Monte-Carlo calculations for the development of a BNCT neutron source at the Kyiv Research Reactor.

The results presented in this paper display our continuing steps toward development of a neutron source with parameters required by boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) at the Kyiv Research Reactor (KRR). The purpose of this work was: 1. calculation of the neutron flux which can be achieved at the greatest possible approach of a patient to the reactor core; 2. analysis of the influence of a nickel collimator and a nickel-60 filter on the characteristics of the neutron beam; 3. creation and validation of the MCNP calculational pattern for an actual core fuel load in the KRR. Results of calculations were carried out by means of the MCNP4C code included: 1. An epithermal neutron flux of 3x10(9)-5x10(9)neutron/cm(2)s with an epithermal-to-fast flux ratio of 80-230 could be obtained at the KRR, using a natural nickel layer on the interior borated polyethylene collimator wall and a (60)Ni filter. 2. Use of the (60)Ni filter may be useful to increase the ratio epithermal-to-fast flux without a substantial decrease in the magnitude of the epithermal neutron flux. 3. The MCNP model proposed in this paper could also be useful for reactor safety calculations.     

Current clinical results of the Tsukuba BNCT trial.

Nine high grade gliomas (5 glioblastomas and 4 anaplastic astrocytomas) were treated with BSH-based intaoperative boron neutron capture therapy (IOBNCT). BSH (100 mg/kg body weight) was intravenously injected, followed by single fraction irradiation using the mixed thermal/epithermal beam of Japan Research Reactor 4. The blood boron level at the time of irradiation averaged 29.9 (18.8-39.5)microg/g. The peak thermal neutron flux as determined by post-irradiation measurements varied from 1.99 to 2.77x10(9) n cm(-2)s(-1). No serious BSH-related toxicity was observed in this series. The interim survival data in this study showed median survival times of 23.2 months for glioblastoma and 25.9 months for anaplastic astrocytoma, results which are consistent with the current conventional radiotherapy with/without boost radiation. Of the 4 residual tumors, 2 showed complete response (CR) and 2 showed partial response (PR) within 6 months following BNCT. No linear correlation was proved between the dose and the occurrence of early neurological events. The maximum boron dose of 11.7-12.2 Gy in the brain related to the occurrence of radiation necrosis. The clinical application of a mixed thermal/epithermal beam and JRR-4 facilities on BSH-based IOBNCT proved to be safe and effective in this series.