title: Dose calculation from a D-D-reaction-based BSA for boron neutron capture synovectomy.
abstract: Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to calculate dose in a knee phantom from a D-D-reaction-based Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA) for Boron Neutron Capture Synovectomy (BNCS). The BSA consists of a D(d,n)-reaction-based neutron source enclosed inside a polyethylene moderator and graphite reflector. The polyethylene moderator and graphite reflector sizes were optimized to deliver the highest ratio of thermal to fast neutron yield at the knee phantom. Then neutron dose was calculated at various depths in a knee phantom loaded with boron and therapeutic ratios of synovium dose/skin dose and synovium dose/bone dose were determined. Normalized to same boron loading in synovium, the values of the therapeutic ratios obtained in the present study are 12-30 times higher than the published values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Hail University, Hail, Saudi Arabia. khalidafnan@uoh.edu.sa
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abdalla
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maalej
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elshahat
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000601:surgery*; D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D000074402:Synovectomy; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000528:radiation effects