Radiation Protection Dosimetry Advance Access originally published online on September 22, 2004
Radiation Protection Dosimetry 2004 112(3):377-383; doi:10.1093/rpd/nch402
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Radiation Protection Dosimetry Vol. 112, No. 3 © Oxford University Press 2004; all rights reserved
A microdosimetric approach to the thermal neutron fluence prescription for clinical BNCT
1 Laboratory of Cyclotron Application, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4 Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
2 Department of Neurosurgery, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4 Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
* Corresponding author: ekim{at}kcch.re.kr
A microdosimetric estimation has been performed to investigate the stochastic variations in doses to the target cell nuclei in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The 9L gliosarcoma cells and the capillary endothelial cells were the targets of our interest. More than 80% of tumour control and less than 50% of myeloparesis incidence were taken as the biological endpoints to be accomplished. Estimation was performed for two major boron carriers, sulfhydryl borane (BSH) and boronophenylalanine (BPA). From the macrodosimetric point of view, the effective thermal neutron fluence in BNCT ranges from 3.96 x 1012 to 5.17 x 1012. From the microdosimetric point of view however, the prescription regarding thermal neutron irradiation becomes much more complex. According to the microdosimetric analysis, the difference between the tumour and the normal tissue in BSH or BPA concentration is not large enough to guarantee the 80% control of 9L gliosarcoma along with the myeloparesis incidence limited below 50%.