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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. Optimal concentrations of 157Gd are determined considering varying assumptions for boron uptake levels and selectivity. By analysing the dosimetry results of varying 157Gd concentrations applied concurrently with BPA-delivered boron in NCT, this work seeks to determine a balance between the high tumour-specific dose provided by BPA and the high dose to quiescent cells provided by potential gadolinium agents. Depending upon the assumptions for drug specificity, tumour size and fraction of quiescent cells, NCT with low levels of 157Gd (125 microg g(-1)) supplementing 10B loadings was shown to be superior to treatments applying 10B alone.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the COG Monte Carlo radiation transport code, developed and tested by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, for gadolinium neutron capture therapy (GdNCT) related modeling. The validity of COG NCT model has been established for this model, and here the calculation was extended to analyze the effect of various gadolinium concentrations on dose distribution and cell-kill effect of the GdNCT modality and to determine the optimum therapeutic conditions for treating brain cancers. The computational results were compared with the widely used MCNP code. The differences between the COG and MCNP predictions were generally small and suggest that the COG code can be applied to similar research problems in NCT. Results for this study also showed that a concentration of 100 ppm gadolinium in the tumor was most beneficial when using an epithermal neutron beam.

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The goal of this study was to evaluate the COG Monte Carlo radiation transport code, developed and tested by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, for neutron capture therapy related modeling. A boron neutron capture therapy model was analyzed comparing COG calculational results to results from the widely used MCNP4B (Monte Carlo N-Particle) transport code. The approach for computing neutron fluence rate and each dose component relevant in boron neutron capture therapy is described, and calculated values are shown in detail. The differences between the COG and MCNP predictions are qualified and quantified. The differences are generally small and suggest that the COG code can be applied for BNCT research related problems.