Graduate School of Medicine, Division of Health Sciences
I am conducting research on the characterization of neutron beam properties in accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) systems.
In recent years, the development and clinical implementation of accelerator-based BNCT systems have progressed. However, system specifications and clinical development targets vary among facilities. Therefore, a common framework for evaluating neutron beam characteristics has not yet been sufficiently established. For example, irradiation aperture size affects neutron beam characteristics, but reference conditions for inter-system comparison have not been clearly defined. In addition, measurement methods for thermal neutron flux and gamma-ray dose distributions differ among facilities.
These differences make it difficult to objectively compare beam characteristics and evaluate equivalence among different systems. This represents a challenge for conducting multicenter clinical trials.　Therefore, I am performing multicenter measurements of thermal neutron flux and gamma-ray dose distributions using a common evaluation method. The aim of this research is to establish a basis for neutron beam characterization and equivalence assessment among BNCT systems. Ultimately, I aim to contribute to the development of a framework that supports international multicenter clinical trials.