First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy
Abstract This work provides the first experimental proof of an increased neutron capture photon signal following the introduction of boron to a PMMA phantom during helium and carbon ion therapies in Neutron Capture Enhanced Particle Therapy (NCEPT). NCEPT leverages $$^{10}$$ 10 B neutron capture, le...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52162-9 |
| _version_ | 1797274890057809920 |
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| author | Marissa Kielly Anita Caracciolo Andrew Chacon James Vohradsky Davide Di Vita Akram Hamato Hideaki Tashima Daniel R. Franklin Taiga Yamaya Anatoly Rosenfeld Marco Carminati Carlo Fiorini Susanna Guatelli Mitra Safavi-Naeini |
| author_facet | Marissa Kielly Anita Caracciolo Andrew Chacon James Vohradsky Davide Di Vita Akram Hamato Hideaki Tashima Daniel R. Franklin Taiga Yamaya Anatoly Rosenfeld Marco Carminati Carlo Fiorini Susanna Guatelli Mitra Safavi-Naeini |
| author_sort | Marissa Kielly |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This work provides the first experimental proof of an increased neutron capture photon signal following the introduction of boron to a PMMA phantom during helium and carbon ion therapies in Neutron Capture Enhanced Particle Therapy (NCEPT). NCEPT leverages $$^{10}$$ 10 B neutron capture, leading to the emission of detectable 478 keV photons. Experiments were performed at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba, Japan, with two Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) targets, one bearing a boron insert. The BeNEdiCTE gamma-ray detector measured an increase in the 478 keV signal of 45 ± 7% and 26 ± 2% for carbon and helium ion irradiation, respectively. Our Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation model, developed to investigate photon origins, found less than 30% of detected photons originated from the insert, while boron in the detector’s circuit boards contributed over 65%. Further, the model investigated detector sensitivity, establishing its capability to record a 10% increase in 478 keV photon detection at a target $$^{10}$$ 10 B concentration of 500 ppm using spectral windowing alone, and 25% when combined with temporal windowing. The linear response extended to concentrations up to 20,000 ppm. The increase in the signal in all evaluated cases confirm the potential of the proposed detector design for neutron capture quantification in NCEPT. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:04:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c0df87160a6f48f1a47d08426fe15bc3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:04:38Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-c0df87160a6f48f1a47d08426fe15bc32024-03-05T18:58:25ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-01-0114111310.1038/s41598-024-52162-9First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapyMarissa Kielly0Anita Caracciolo1Andrew Chacon2James Vohradsky3Davide Di Vita4Akram Hamato5Hideaki Tashima6Daniel R. Franklin7Taiga Yamaya8Anatoly Rosenfeld9Marco Carminati10Carlo Fiorini11Susanna Guatelli12Mitra Safavi-Naeini13Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di MilanoAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of WollongongDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di MilanoImaging Physics Group, Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST)Imaging Physics Group, Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST)School of Electrical and Data Engineering, University of Technology SydneyImaging Physics Group, Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST)Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of WollongongDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di MilanoDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di MilanoCentre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of WollongongAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)Abstract This work provides the first experimental proof of an increased neutron capture photon signal following the introduction of boron to a PMMA phantom during helium and carbon ion therapies in Neutron Capture Enhanced Particle Therapy (NCEPT). NCEPT leverages $$^{10}$$ 10 B neutron capture, leading to the emission of detectable 478 keV photons. Experiments were performed at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba, Japan, with two Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) targets, one bearing a boron insert. The BeNEdiCTE gamma-ray detector measured an increase in the 478 keV signal of 45 ± 7% and 26 ± 2% for carbon and helium ion irradiation, respectively. Our Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation model, developed to investigate photon origins, found less than 30% of detected photons originated from the insert, while boron in the detector’s circuit boards contributed over 65%. Further, the model investigated detector sensitivity, establishing its capability to record a 10% increase in 478 keV photon detection at a target $$^{10}$$ 10 B concentration of 500 ppm using spectral windowing alone, and 25% when combined with temporal windowing. The linear response extended to concentrations up to 20,000 ppm. The increase in the signal in all evaluated cases confirm the potential of the proposed detector design for neutron capture quantification in NCEPT.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52162-9 |
| spellingShingle | Marissa Kielly Anita Caracciolo Andrew Chacon James Vohradsky Davide Di Vita Akram Hamato Hideaki Tashima Daniel R. Franklin Taiga Yamaya Anatoly Rosenfeld Marco Carminati Carlo Fiorini Susanna Guatelli Mitra Safavi-Naeini First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy Scientific Reports |
| title | First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy |
| title_full | First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy |
| title_fullStr | First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy |
| title_short | First experimental demonstration of real-time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy |
| title_sort | first experimental demonstration of real time neutron capture discrimination in helium and carbon ion therapy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52162-9 |
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