Evaluation of boron neutron capture therapy in-phantom parameters by response matrix method

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Computational Dosimetry

Background:

• Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is an advanced radiation therapy.
• Accurate determination of in-phantom parameters is crucial for effective BNCT.
• Traditional methods can be computationally intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine in-phantom parameters for BNCT using the response matrix (RM) method.
• To evaluate the efficiency and accuracy of the RM method for BNCT dosimetry.

Main Methods:

• The response matrix (RM) method was employed to analyze various in-phantom figures of merit.
• Neutron/gamma spectra were divided into energy groups for dose component calculation.
• Computer programming facilitated rapid calculation of dose responses.

Main Results:

• The RM method showed good agreement with direct calculations for in-phantom parameters.
• Maximum allowable thermal and fast neutron contaminations were determined as 17.4% and 2.6%, respectively.
• The RM method enables rapid calculation of these parameters.

Conclusions:

• The response matrix (RM) method is a fast and accurate approach for evaluating BNCT in-phantom parameters.
• This method eliminates the need for repeated simulations when neutron spectra or treatment conditions change.
• RM method optimizes BNCT treatment planning and efficiency.