Feasibility study on energy-dependent neutron flux monitor using multi-core SOF detector

Abstract

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a radiation cancer treatment that uses energy generated by the nuclear reaction between boron and neutrons to kill the tumor cells by accumulating boron compounds on the tumor cells and irradiating them with neutrons. In recent years, BNCT treatment using an accelerator has come to a feasible stage. Since BNCT treatment using an accelerator contains a large amount of epithermal neutron components, it is difficult to evaluate the amount of neutron irradiation using a gold activation method as in the past. Further, in the BNCT treatment, since the neutron dose is controlled by the durable dose of the skin irradiated with the neutron beam, it is desirable to be able to measure the dose per neutron energy component on the skin surface.We have developed a SOF detector (Scintillator with Optical Fiber Detector) for measuring thermal neutron flux in real time, and reported on the usefulness of real time measurement in clinic. The SOF detector uses nuclear reaction energy by neutron sensitizers, but the energy response differs depending on the nuclide of the neutron sensitizer. In this study, we developed a new neutron energy spectrometer that can simultaneously evaluate thermal neutrons, epithermal neutrons, and gamma dose by upgrading conventional SOF detector which is combining many scintillators containing different neutron sensitizers.