Concept of Neutron Source Creation for Nuclear Medicine on the Basis of Linear Electron Accelerator

Abstract

We review the current status of the development of sources of epithermal neutrons sources based on reactors and accelerators for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), a promising method of malignant tumor treatment. The scheme is proposed of the source prototype for the production of thermal and epithermal neutrons using the delayed neutrons generated with help of linear electron accelerator at the target containing the fissile material. The results of an experiment are presented in which the half-life curves of radioactive nuclei formed during fission and emitting delayed neutrons are measured. It is shown that an activated target containing fissile material is a compact small-sized source of delayed neutrons. It can be delivered to the shaper, where, using a moderator, an absorber, and a collimator, neutrons of thermal or epithermal energies are formed over a certain period of time, after which this target is sent to the activator, and another target comes in its place. Thus, a pulsed neutron flux is formed. Such a neutron beam can be used in nuclear medicine, in particular, in neutron capture therapy in the treatment of cancer. An important task in the implementation of neutron capture therapy, when irradiating patients, is to control both the intensity and the energy spectrum of the neutron flux. To solve this problem, an earlier developed activation-type neutron ball spectrometer can be used, which will allow optimization of various parameters of the shaper, collimator and filters in order to obtain the most powerful neutron fluxes.