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.

Computational assessment of improved cell-kill by gadolinium-supplemented boron neutron capture therapy.

Potential improvement in neutron capture therapy (NCT) by utilizing both 157Gd and 10B is assessed considering two parameters calculated in transport models in MCNP4B, the dose to quiescent cells and the therapeutic ratio. Improved sterilization of quiescent or more generally non-uptaking cells is demonstrated with the addition of 157Gd to conventional 10B loading. The improved dose delivery to non-uptaking cells from concurrent administration of 157Gd and 10B is weighed against a second index, degradation in the therapeutic ratio resulting from the longer interaction lengths of the 157Gd capture products.