Prospects of Using a Xenon Gamma Spectrometer in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy on the Medical Beam of the IRT MEPhI Research Reactor
Abstract
The paper examines the possibility of using a xenon gamma-ray spectrometer (XGRS) to determine the dose load on a patient during boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) at the IRT MEPhI research reactor. The possibilities of using semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometers in neutron capture therapy (NCT) are discussed. The results of testing of the remote-control measuring system of the XGRS are presented. Model experiments are performed to study the spectrometric characteristics of the XENON experimental measurement complex. The dependence of the absorbed dose on the solution concentration in the target under its irradiation (an aqueous solution of boric acid) with thermal neutrons at flux densities ranging from 3.3 × 105 to 7.87 × 108 neutrons/(cm2 s) is obtained. The experimental results confirm the potential of using the XGRS for monitoring the dose load on patients during BNCT.