Work

A new boron-doped gas microdosimeter for clinical Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The Next Generation EU project ANTHEM (AdvaNced Technologies for Human-centrEd Medicine) aims at building a new accelerator-based BNCT facility in Caserta, Italy. In this framework, a new miniaturized Tissue-Equivalent Proportional Counter (mini-TEPC) with boron-doped cathode walls was designed and constructed, specifically developed to be used in BNCT clinical centres. The size of its sensitive cavity is only 1 mm to cope with the high intensity of BNCT neutron fields. The new detector was tested in reference fields where the thermal neutron component is negligible (photons, protons and fast neutrons), showing the same response as another mini-TEPC with identical design but for the boron doping. First tests were then performed at the thermal neutron column of the research reactor of the Laboratory for Applied Nuclear Energy in Pavia, Italy, with both detectors. Measured microdosimetric spectra were consistent with previous data taken in other thermal neutron sources. This paper presents the design of the new mini-TEPC and discusses the results of these first tests. • A new miniaturized TEPC with boron-doped walls was designed and built • The mini-TEPC design is optimized for clinical BNCT applications • Its response to reference fields is the same as an identical non-borated TEPC • First measurements in thermal neutron fields were made at the LENA reactor

Source: Applied Radiation and Isotopes

DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.111721