• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제52권5호
• /
• pp.1002-1007
• /
• 2020

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a spectrum formulation set employed to modify the neutron spectrum of D-D fusion neutrons in a IS plasma focus device using GEANT4, MCNPX2.6, and FLUKA codes. The set consists of a moderator, reflector, collimator and filters of fast neutron and gamma radiation, which placed on the path of 2.45 MeV neutron energy. The treated neutrons eliminate cancerous tissue with minimal damage to other healthy tissue in a method called neutron therapy. The system optimized for a total neutron yield of 10⁹ (n/s). The numerical results indicate that the GEANT4 code for the cubic geometry in the Beam Shaping Assembly 3 (BSA3) is the best choice for the energy of epithermal neutrons.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제41권4호
• /
• pp.531-544
• /
• 2009

This paper is intended to provide key issues and current research outcomes on accelerator-based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). Accelerator-based neutron sources are efficient to provide epithermal neutron beams for BNCT; hence, much research, worldwide, has focused on the development of components crucial for its realization: neutron-producing targets and cooling equipment, beam-shaping assemblies, and treatment planning systems. Proton beams of 2.5 MeV incident on lithium target results in high yield of neutrons at relatively low energies. Cooling equipment based on submerged jet impingement and micro-channels provide for viable heat removal options. Insofar as beam-shaping assemblies are concerned, moderators containing fluorine or magnesium have the best performance in terms of neutron accumulation in the epithermal energy range during the slowing-down from the high energies. NCT_Plan and SERA systems, which are popular dose distribution analysis tools for BNCT, contain all the required features (i.e., image reconstruction, dose calculations, etc.). However, detailed studies of these systems remain to be done for accurate dose evaluation. Advanced research centered on accelerator-based BNCT is active in Korea as evidenced by the latest research at Hanyang University. There, a new target system and a beam-shaping assembly have been constructed. The performance of these components has been evaluated through comparisons of experimental measurements with simulations. In addition, a new patient-specific treatment planning system, BTPS, has been developed to calculate the deposited dose and radiation flux in human tissue. It is based on MCNPX, and it facilitates BNCT efficient planning based via a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제54권8호
• /
• pp.2999-3005
• /
• 2022

The new experimental setup has been built at the 11b channel of the IBR-2 research reactor at FLNP, JINR, to study the elemental composition of samples by registration of prompt gamma emission during thermal neutron capture. The setup consists of a curved mirror neutron guide and a radiation-resistant HPGe high-purity germanium detector. The detector is surrounded by lead shielding to suppress the natural background gamma level. The sample is placed in a vacuum channel and surrounded by a LiF shield to suppress the gamma background generated by scattered neutrons. This work presents characteristics of the experimental setup. An example of hydrogen concentration determining in a diamond powder made by detonation synthesis is given and on its basis, the sensitivity of the setup is calculated being ~4 ㎍.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제55권7호
• /
• pp.2419-2431
• /
• 2023

Experiments related to Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) accomplished at the Institute of Nuclear Techniques (INT), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (TUB) are presented. Relevant investigations are required before designing BNCT for vivo applications. Samples of relevant boron compounds (H₃BO₃, BDTPA) usually employed in BNCT were investigated with neutron beam. Channel #5 in the research reactor (100 kW) of INT-TUB provides the neutron beam. Boron samples are mounted on a carrier for neutron irradiation. The particle attenuation of several carrier materials was investigated, and the one with the lowest attenuation was selected. The effects of boron compound type, mass, and compound phase state were also investigated. To detect the emitted charged particles, a traditional ZnS(Ag) detector was employed. The neutron beam's interaction with the detector-detecting layer is investigated. Graphite (as a moderator) was employed to change the neutron beam's characteristics. The fast neutron beam was also thermalized by placing a portable fast neutron source in a paraffin container and irradiating the H₃BO₃. The obtained results suggest that the direct measurement approach appears to be insufficiently sensitive for determining the radiation dose committed by the Alpha particles from the ¹⁰B (n,α) reaction. As a result, a new approach must be used.

• 대한방사성의약품학회지
• /
• 제7권1호
• /
• pp.3-10
• /
• 2021

For successful boron neutron caputre therapy, it is essential to develop a boron drug with a selective accumulation capacity for tumors. In particular, in order to apply boron neutron caputre therapy to brain tumors, drugs with good blood-brain barrier penetration are required. In this study, two low-molecular-weight boron compounds were introduced as brain tumor boron neutron caputre therapy drugs, and their physical and biological efficacy were evaluated. Among them, B2 showed good blood-brain barrier permeability and a high brain/blood ratio. From these results, it is expected that B2 can be used as a useful boron drug for boron neutron caputre therapy in brain tumors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제55권7호
• /
• pp.2712-2722
• /
• 2023

For an accurate and efficient time-dependent Monte Carlo (TDMC) neutron transport analysis, several advanced methods are newly developed and implemented in the Seoul National University Monte Carlo code, McCARD. For an efficient control of the neutron population, a dynamic weight window method is devised to adjust the weight bounds of the implicit capture in the time bin-by-bin TDMC simulations. A moving geometry module is developed to model a continuous insertion or withdrawal of a control rod. Especially, the history-based batch method for the TDMC calculations is developed to predict the unbiased variance of a bin-wise mean estimate. The developed methods are verified for three-dimensional problems in the C5G7-TD benchmark, showing good agreements with results from a deterministic neutron transport analysis code, nTRACER, within the statistical uncertainty bounds. In addition, the TDMC analysis capability implemented in McCARD is demonstrated to search the optimum detector positions for the pulsed-neutron-source experiments in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly and AGN201K.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
• /
• 제18권2호
• /
• pp.87-92
• /
• 2007

최대출력 30 MW, 하나로(HANARO) 다목적 연구용 원자로의 접선 중성자공에 붕소중성자포획치료(Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, BNCT)를 위한 열중성자 조사장치가 개발되었다. BNCT 조사장치에서는 서로 다른 물리적 특성과 생물학적 효과비를 가진 여러 성분의 방사선이 방출되기 때문에 정확한 투여선량을 결정하기 위해서는 각 성분의 정량적 분석이 필수적이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 방사화 분석, 열형광선량계 및 이온전리함 등 여러 유형의 검출기를 사용하여 BNCT 조사장치에서 방출되는 열중성자 및 감마선 혼합장의 선량 성분을 분리, 측정하였다. 선량측정은 물 속에 함유된 불순물과 중성자의 이차반응을 최소화하기 위해 증류수를 채운 물팬텀을 이용하였다. 그리고 측정 결과는 MCNP4B 전산계산의 결과와 상호 비교하였다. 측정 결과 열중성자속은 물팬텀 10 mm와 20 mm 깊이에서 각각 $1.02E9n/cm^2{\cdot}s$과 $6.07E8n/cm^2{\cdot}s$이었고, 고속중성자선량율은 10 mm 깊이에서 0.11 Gy/hr로 미세하였다. 감마선량률은 물팬텀 20 mm 깊이에서 5.10 Gy/hr로 나타났다. 측정된 중성자와 감마선량값은 MCNP의 결과와 5% 이내로 잘 일치하였고, 열중성자속은 14%의 비교오차를 나타내었다. 이러한 결과들은 중성자 검출의 난이도를 고려할 때 충분히 신뢰할 수 있는 수준이라 판단되며, BNCT 임상 연구를 위한 선량평가 자료로 활용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국원자력학회 1998년도 추계학술발표회요약집
• /
• pp.354-354
• /
• 1998

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국원자력학회 1999년도 추계학술발표회요약집
• /
• pp.68-68
• /
• 1999

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국원자력학회 2002년도 춘계공동학술발표회요약집
• /
• pp.60-60
• /
• 2002