title: Design and construction of a thermal neutron beam for BNCT at Tehran Research Reactor.
abstract: An irradiation facility has been designed and constructed at Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) for the treatment of shallow tumors using Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). TRR has a thermal column which is about 3m in length with a wide square cross section of 1.2×1.2m(2). This facility is filled with removable graphite blocks. The aim of this work is to perform the necessary modifications in the thermal column structure to meet thermal BNCT beam criteria recommended by International Atomic Energy Agency. The main modifications consist of rearranging graphite blocks and reducing the gamma dose rate at the beam exit. Activation foils and TLD700 dosimeter have been used to measure in-air characteristics of the neutron beam. According to the measurements, a thermal flux is 5.6×10(8) (ncm(-2)s(-1)), a cadmium ratio is 186 for gold foils and a gamma dose rate is 0.57Gy h(-1).
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Iran.
authors.forename: Yaser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasesaz
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Iran. Electronic address: Hossein_khalafi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khalafi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Iran.
authors.forename: Faezeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahmani
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Iran.
authors.forename: Arsalan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ezzati
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keyvani
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Iran.
authors.forename: Ashkan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hossnirokh
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad Azizi
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shamami
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amini
mesh_terms: D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007492:Iran; D009502:Neutrons; D009688:Nuclear Reactors / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
keywords: BNCT thermal irradiation facility; Foil activation method; TLD700 dosimeter; Tehran Research Reactor