Current Status of Accelerator-Based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

A. J. KREINER; J. BERGUEIRO; H. DI PAOLO; W. CASTELL; V. THATAR VENTO; D. CARTELLI; J. M. KESQUE; A.A. VALDA; J.C. ILARDO; M. BALDO; J. ERHARDT; M.E. DEBRAY; H. SOMACAL; L. ESTRADA; J.C. SUAREZ SANDIN; M. IGARZABAL; H. HUCK; J. PADULO; D,M. MINSKY; M. HERRERA; S.J. GONZÁLEZ

Foz do Iguazu

Congreso; Encontro de Física 2011; 2011

Sociedade Brasileira de Física

Presentación oral (A.J. Kreriner)The direct use of proton and heavy ion beams for radiotherapy is a well established cancer treatment modality, which is becoming increasingly widespread due to its clear advantages over conventional photon-based treat- ments. This strategy is suitable when the tumor is spatially well localized. Also the use of neutrons has a long tradition. Here Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) stands out, though on a much smaller scale, being a second-generation promising alternative for tumors which are di®use and in¯ltrating. On this sector, so far only nuclear reactors have been used as neutron sources. In this paper we describe the current situation world- wide as far as the use of accelerator-based neutron sources for BNCT is concerned (so-called Accelerator-Based (AB)-BNCT). In particular we discuss the present status of an ongoing project to develop a folded Tandem- ElectroStatic-Quadrupole (TESQ) accelerator at the Atomic Energy Commission of Argentina. The project goal is a machine capable of delivering 30 mA of 2.4 MeV protons to be used in conjunction with a neutron production target based on the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction. These are the specications needed to produce su±ciently intense and clean epithermal neutron beams to perform BNCT for deep-seated tumors in less than an hour.