Summary of recent BNCT Polish programme and future plans.
In this work we present Polish achievements on the ground of BNCT research. Starting from preliminary built therapeutic stand at MARIA reactor going through designing of unique detectors for in-phantom and in-beam measurements for mixed radiation fields and finally coming to boron carriers synthesizing and examination in cellular and animal models. Now it is planned to restart research on boron compounds in specially designed BIMA line, to set up epithermal neutron irradiation facility for BNCT research and education and to improve recombination detectors for neutron beams characterisation.
Requirements for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) at a Nuclear Research Reactor
An international workshop, funded by the JRC¿s Enlargement and Integration Action, took place in Prague in 2005 entitled ¿Requirements for BNCT at a Nuclear Research Reactor¿. The intention of the workshop was to exchange knowledge between the EU BNCT programme at the HFR Petten (EC, NL) and other existing clinical and preclinical research programmes on BNCT throughout Europe, with the special aim to transfer information towards groups and places that are preparing their own national BNCT projects. The future of nuclear research institutes will depend on their ability to open research programmes into new areas and to link nuclear technologies with other applications. Medicine is one of the most interesting but also sensitive areas for such multidisciplinary work. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a dedicated and well-known topic that demonstrates such a link in an exemplary way. This book expands on some of the topics presented at the workshop. It is intended to support scientists, clinicians and politicians that are interested to develop a local or national BNCT activity. How to obtain EU publications Our priced publications are available from EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu), where you can place an order with the sales agent of your choice. The Publications Office has a worldwide network of sales agents. You can obtain their contact details by sending a fax to (352) 29 29-42758. The mission of the JRC is to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies. As a service of the European Commission, the JRC functions as a reference centre of science and technology for the Union. Close to the policy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States, while being independent of special interests, whether private or national. LD -N A -2330-EN -C
Monitoring of blood-10B concentration for boron neutron capture therapy using prompt gamma-ray analysis.
The aim of the present study was to monitor the blood-10B concentration of laboratory dogs receiving boron neutron capture therapy, in order to obtain optimal agreement between prescribed and actual dose. A prompt gamma-ray analysis system was developed for this purpose at the High Flux Reactor in Petten. The technique was compared with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and showed good agreement. A substantial variation in 10B clearance pattern after administration of borocaptate sodium was found between the different dogs. Consequently, the irradiation commencement was adjusted to the individually determined boron elimination curve. Mean blood-10B concentrations during irradiation of 25.8 +/- 2.2 micrograms/g (1 SD, n = 18) and 49.3 +/- 5.3 micrograms/g (1 SD, n = 17) were obtained for intended concentrations of 25 micrograms/g and 50 micrograms/g, respectively. These variations are a factor of two smaller than irradiations performed at a uniform post-infusion irradiation starting time. Such a careful blood-10B monitoring procedure is a prerequisite for accurately obtaining such steep dose-response curves as observed during the dog study.