title: Miniature tissue-equivalent proportional counters for BNCT and BNCEFNT dosimetry.
abstract: A dual miniature tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) system has been developed to facilitate microdosimetry for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). This system has been designed specifically to allow the analysis of the single event charged particle spectrum in phantom in high intensity BNCT beams and to provide this microdosimetric information with excellent spatial resolution. Paired A-150 and 10B-loaded A-150 TEPCs with 12.3 mm3 collecting volumes have been constructed. These TEPCs allow more accurate neutron dosimetry than current techniques, offer a direct measure of the boron neutron capture dose, and provide a framework for predicting the biological effectiveness of the absorbed dose. Design aspects and characterization of these detectors are reviewed, along with an exposition of the advantages of microdosimetry using these detectors over conventional dosimetry methods. In addition, the utility of this technique for boron neutron capture enhancement of fast neutron therapy (BNCEFNT) is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Harper Hospital and Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. burmeist@kci.wayne.edu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burmeister
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kota
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Maughan
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Waker
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D001895:Boron; D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D005214:Fast Neutrons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008904:Miniaturization; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D001895:Boron