Plasma and Fusion Research
Volume 13, 2406006 (2018)
Regular Articles
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
- 1)
- High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan
- 2)
- J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
Abstract
Clinical trials of the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) have been conducted using research reactors. Recent progresses in the accelerator and accelerator-driven-neutron-source technologies have rendered it possible to generate the substantial number of neutrons required for BNCT treatment, using a compact accelerator, which can be installed in a hospital. The University of Tsukuba launched a project for the development of a compact accelerator-based neutron source for BNCT. For this accelerator, we employed a linear particle accelerator (linac) and the energy of the proton beam was 8 MeV. Beryllium was selected as the neutron target material. To generate sufficient neutron intensity by the reaction between 8 MeV protons and beryllium, the linac accelerates a high current of 5 mA or more. As the target system is critical, we developed a beryllium target system with a three-layered structure to avoid target breakage, caused by massive heat load and blistering, within a short period. The linac-based neutron source for the BNCT is almost complete and we succeeded in generating neutrons, in 2015. Currently, several characteristic measurements are being carried out.
Keywords
boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), compact accelerator-based BNCT, linac, beryllium target, J-PARC, three-layered structure
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