title: Monte Carlo optimisation of a BNCT facility for treating brain gliomas at the TAPIRO reactor.
abstract: An epithermal boron neutron capture therapy facility for treating brain gliomas is currently under construction at the 5 kW fast-flux reactor TAPIRO located at ENEA, Casaccia, near Rome. In this work, the sensitivity of the results to the boron concentrations in healthy tissue and tumour is investigated and the change in beam quality on modifying the moderator thickness (within design limits) is studied. The Monte Carlo codes MCNP and MCNPX were used together with the DSA in-house variance reduction patch. Both usual free beam parameters and the in-phantom treatment planning figures-of-merit have been calculated in a realistic anthropomorphic phantom ('ADAM').
authors.affiliation: ENEA FIS-NUC, via Martiri di Monte Sole 4, 40129 Bologna, Italy. Elisabetta.Nava@bologna.enea.it
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nava
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Burn
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Casalini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petrovich
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarotto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tinti
mesh_terms: D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005910:Glioma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009688:Nuclear Reactors / Q000295:instrumentation; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome