An international collaboration was organized to undertake a dosimetry exchange to enable the future combination of clinical data from different centers conducting neutron capture therapy trials. As a first step (Part I) the dosimetry group from the Americas, represented by MIT, visited the clinical centers at Studsvik (Sweden), VTT Espoo (Finland), and the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) at Rez (Czech Republic). A combined VTT/NRI group reciprocated with a visit to MIT. Each participant performed a series of dosimetry measurements under equivalent irradiation conditions using methods appropriate to their clinical protocols. This entailed in-air measurements and dose versus depth measurements in a large water phantom. Thermal neutron flux as well as fast neutron and photon absorbed dose rates were measured. Satisfactory agreement in determining absorbed dose within the experimental uncertainties was obtained between the different groups although the measurement uncertainties are large, ranging between 3% and 30% depending upon the dose component and the depth of measurement. To improve the precision in the specification of absorbed dose amongst the participants, the individually measured dose components were normalized to the results from a single method. Assuming a boron concentration of 15 microg g(-1) that is typical of concentrations realized clinically with the boron delivery compound boronophenylalanine-fructose, systematic discrepancies in the specification of the total biologically weighted dose of up to 10% were apparent between the different groups. The results from these measurements will be used in future to normalize treatment plan calculations between the different clinical dosimetry protocols as Part II of this study.

The meaningful sharing and combining of clinical results from different centers in the world performing boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) requires improved precision in dose specification between programs. To this end absorbed dose normalizations were performed for the European clinical centers at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Petten (The Netherlands), Nuclear Research Institute, Rez (Czech Republic), VTT, Espoo (Finland), and Studsvik, Nyköping (Sweden). Each European group prepared a treatment plan calculation that was bench-marked against Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) dosimetry performed in a large, water-filled phantom to uniformly evaluate dose specifications with an estimated precision of +/-2%-3%. These normalizations were compared with those derived from an earlier exchange between Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and MIT in the USA. Neglecting the uncertainties related to biological weighting factors, large variations between calculated and measured dose are apparent that depend upon the 10B uptake in tissue. Assuming a boron concentration of 15 microg g(-1) in normal tissue, differences in the evaluated maximum dose to brain for the same nominal specification of 10 Gy(w) at the different facilities range between 7.6 and 13.2 Gy(w) in the trials using boronophenylalanine (BPA) as the boron delivery compound and between 8.9 and 11.1 Gy(w) in the two boron sulfhydryl (BSH) studies. Most notably, the value for the same specified dose of 10 Gy(w) determined at the different participating centers using BPA is significantly higher than at BNL by 32% (MIT), 43% (VTT), 49% (JRC), and 74% (Studsvik). Conversion of dose specification is now possible between all active participants and should be incorporated into future multi-center patient analyses.

No abstract

Gamma dose and thermal neutron fluence in a phantom exposed to an epithermal neutron beam for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) can be measured by means of a single thermoluminescence dosemeter (TLD-700). The method exploits the shape of the glow curve (GC) and requires the gamma-calibration GC (to obtain gamma dose) and the thermal-neutron-calibration GC (to obtain neutron fluence). The method is applicable for BNCT dosimetry in case of epithermal neutron beams from a reactor because, in most irradiation configurations, thermal neutrons give a not negligible contribution to the TLD-700 GC. The thermal neutron calibration is not simple, because of the impossibility of having thermal neutron fields without gamma contamination, but a calibration method is here proposed, strictly bound to the method itself of dose separation.

The reliability of Fricke gel dosimeters in form of layers for measurements aimed at the characterization of epithermal neutron beams has been studied. By means of dosimeters of different isotopic composition (standard, containing (10)B or prepared with heavy water) placed against the collimator exit, the spatial distribution of gamma and fast neutron doses and of thermal neutron fluence are attained. In order to investigate the accuracy of the results obtained with in-air measurements, suitable MC simulations have been developed and experimental measurements have been performed utilizing Fricke gel dosimeters, thermoluminescence detectors and activation foils. The studies were related to the epithermal beam designed for BNCT irradiations at the research reactor LVR-15 (Řež). The results of calculation and measurements have revealed good consistency of gamma dose and fast neutron 2D distributions obtained with gel dosimeters in form of layers. In contrast, noticeable modification of thermal neutron fluence is caused by the neutron moderation produced by the dosimeter material. Fricke gel dosimeters in thin cylinders, with diameter not greater than 3mm, have proved to give good results for thermal neutron profiling. For greater accuracy of all results, a better knowledge of the dependence of gel dosimeter sensitivity on radiation LET is needed.