特集 「加速器を用いた医学・産業利用への新たな挑戦」
低放射化BNCT施設
2013 年 39 巻 2 号 p. 45-50
詳細
2013 年 39 巻 2 号 p. 45-50
The Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a treatment of cancer using the 10B(n, α)7Li reaction. Since the range of produced α particle and 7Li are the similar size as cells, they stopped in the cell and give their energy resulted in killing of cancer cells. At the early stage of the BNCT, this method was mainly used to treat brain tumor. Since thermal neutrons were used at that time, the treatment was carried out by craniotomy procedure. The BNCT using epithermal neutrons were developed and treatment without craniotomy procedure became possible. This method made possible of treatment of cancers at the deeper position from the body surface. The BNCT show promise for the cancer treatment. Since so far the neutrons were supplied by a nuclear reactor, the BNCT in hospitals was impossible. The neutrons produced by small accelerators are strongly desired. For the therapy devices in the hospital the lower radio-activation is preferable. Here the BNCT projects using a small accelerator and the discussion about the radio-activation are presented.
