Intracavitary moderator balloon combined with (252)Cf brachytherapy and boron neutron capture therapy, improving dosimetry in brain tumour and infiltrations.
OBJECTIVE
This article proposes a combination of californium-252 ((252)Cf) brachytherapy, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and an intracavitary moderator balloon catheter applied to brain tumour and infiltrations.


METHODS
Dosimetric evaluations were performed on three protocol set-ups: (252)Cf brachytherapy combined with BNCT (Cf-BNCT); Cf-BNCT with a balloon catheter filled with light water (LWB) and the same set-up with heavy water (HWB).


RESULTS
Cf-BNCT-HWB has presented dosimetric advantages to Cf-BNCT-LWB and Cf-BNCT in infiltrations at 2.0-5.0 cm from the balloon surface. However, Cf-BNCT-LWB has shown superior dosimetry up to 2.0 cm from the balloon surface.


CONCLUSIONS
Cf-BNCT-HWB and Cf-BNCT-LWB protocols provide a selective dose distribution for brain tumour and infiltrations, mainly further from the (252)Cf source, sparing the normal brain tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
Malignant brain tumours grow rapidly and often spread to adjacent brain tissues, leading to death. Improvements in brain radiation protocols have been continuously achieved; however, brain tumour recurrence is observed in most cases. Cf-BNCT-LWB and Cf-BNCT-HWB represent new modalities for selectively combating brain tumour infiltrations and metastasis.
Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Engenharia, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Brandão
Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Engenharia, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Campos
D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000379:methods; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002142:Californium; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage
D002142:Californium