ACCELERATOR PRODUCTION OF EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS FOR BNCT

提出了一种新的硼中子超热中子源 捕获疗法（BNCT）。 使用超热而不是热 BNCT的中子由于更大的穿透力而变得更大 超热中子在组织中的深度， 在肿瘤照射过程中避免。 产生超热中子 用一束强质子轰击锂靶， 级联串列加速器（CTA）。 CTA是一种新型的静电 加速器将两种现有技术结合成一个简单的， 适合在医院中操作的紧凑型质子加速器 环境 初步计算表明，1 mA，2-2.5 MeV质子束入射到靶上将提供足够的能量。 用于生物学研究和肿瘤研究的超热中子通量 辐照 在这项研究中，目标和中子慢化剂的几何形状将是 使用蒙特卡罗技术建模，以确定最佳 靶组件设计和质子束参数。 该系统 能够提供大范围的中子能量 光谱、强度和辐照时间， 临床BNCT研究。

A new epithermal neutron source is proposed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The use of epithermal instead of thermal neutrons for BNCT is advantageoud due to the greater penetration depth of epithermal neutrons in tissue which results in skin sparing during tumor irradiation. Epithermal neutrons are produced by bombarding a lithium target with an intense proton beam from a Cascade Tandem Accelerator (CTA). The CTA is a novel electrostatic accelerator which combines two existing technologies into a simple, compact proton accelerator suitable for operation in a hospital environment. Preliminary calculations indicate that a 1 mA, 2-2.5 MeV proton beam incident on the target will provide sufficient epithermal neutron flux for biological studies and for tumor irradiation. In this study, target and neutron moderator geometry will be modelled using Monte Carlo techniques to determine the optimum target assembly design and proton beam parameters. This system will be capable of providing a wide range of neutron energy spectra, intensities and irradiation times for both laboratory and clinical BNCT studies.