• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.801-809
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to assess the additional neutron effective dose during passive scattering proton therapy. Monte Carlo code (Monte Carlo N-Particle 6) simulation was conducted based on a precise modeling of the National Cancer Center's proton therapy facility. A three-dimensional neutron effective dose profile of the interior of the treatment room was acquired via a computer simulation of the 217.8-MeV proton beam. Measurements were taken with a $^3He$ neutron detector to support the simulation results, which were lower than the simulation results by 16% on average. The secondary photon dose was about 0.8% of the neutron dose. The dominant neutron source was deduced based on flux calculation. The secondary neutron effective dose per proton absorbed dose ranged from $4.942{\pm}0.031mSv/Gy$ at the end of the field to $0.324{\pm}0.006mSv/Gy$ at 150 cm in axial distance.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 1997

I. Objective and Importance of the Project We have been using MC-50 cyclotron and NT-50 neutron therapy machine for treating cancer patients since 1986 at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. It is mandatory to measure accurately the dose distribution and the total absorbed dose of fast neutron for putting it to the clinical use. At present the methods of measurement of fast neutron are proposed largely by American Associations of Physicists in Medicine (Task Group 18), European Clinical Neutron Dosimetry Group, and International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements. The complexity of measurement, however, induce the methodological differences between them. In our study, therefore, we tried to establish a unique technique of measurement by means of measuring the emitted doses and the dose distribution of fast neutron beam from neutron therapy machine, and to invent a standard method of measurement adequate to our situation. II. Scope and Contents of the Project For establishing a unique technique of measurement and inventing a standard method of measurement of fast neutron beam, 1. to grasp the physical characteristics of neutron therapy machine 2. to study the principles for measrement of fast neutron beam 3. to get the dose distribution (dose rate, percent-depth dose, flatness etc) throught the actual measurement 4. to compare our data with those being cited world-widely.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2021

For successful boron neutron caputre therapy, it is essential to develop a boron drug with a selective accumulation capacity for tumors. In particular, in order to apply boron neutron caputre therapy to brain tumors, drugs with good blood-brain barrier penetration are required. In this study, two low-molecular-weight boron compounds were introduced as brain tumor boron neutron caputre therapy drugs, and their physical and biological efficacy were evaluated. Among them, B2 showed good blood-brain barrier permeability and a high brain/blood ratio. From these results, it is expected that B2 can be used as a useful boron drug for boron neutron caputre therapy in brain tumors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.1002-1007
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• 2020

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a spectrum formulation set employed to modify the neutron spectrum of D-D fusion neutrons in a IS plasma focus device using GEANT4, MCNPX2.6, and FLUKA codes. The set consists of a moderator, reflector, collimator and filters of fast neutron and gamma radiation, which placed on the path of 2.45 MeV neutron energy. The treated neutrons eliminate cancerous tissue with minimal damage to other healthy tissue in a method called neutron therapy. The system optimized for a total neutron yield of 10⁹ (n/s). The numerical results indicate that the GEANT4 code for the cubic geometry in the Beam Shaping Assembly 3 (BSA3) is the best choice for the energy of epithermal neutrons.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.2153-2162
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to develop a high-energy neutron shielding material applied in proton therapy environment. Composite shielding material consisting of 10.00 wt% boron carbide particles (B₄C), 13.64 wt% surface-modified cross-linked polyethylene (PE), and 76.36 wt% tungsten particles were fabricated by hot-pressure sintering method, where the optimal ratio of the composite is determined by the shielding effect under the neutron field generated in typical proton therapy environment. The results of Differential Scanning Calorimetry measurements (DSC) and tensile experiment show that the composite has good thermal and mechanical properties. In addition, the high energy-neutron shielding performance of the developed material was evaluated using cyclotron proton accelerator with 100 MeV proton. The simulation shows a 99.99% decrease in fast neutron injection after 44 cm shielding, and the experiment result show a 99.70% decrease. Finally, the shielding effect of replacing part of the shielding material of the proton therapy hall with the developed material was simulated, and the results showed that the total neutron injection decreased to 0.99‰ and the neutron dose reduced to 1.10‰ before the enhanced shielding. In summary, the developed material is expected to serve as a shielding enhancement material in the proton therapy environment.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 1989

The purpose of this presentation is to outline the measurement made at Korea Cancer Center Hospital, KAERI, and to present the result obtained. These measurements were designed to demonstrate the complicance of the isocentric fast neutron facility. 1. Neutron production and delivary. 2. Physical parameters of the neutron beam. 3. Neutron beam calibration including 'n' ratio and detector design. 4. Treatment planning. 5. Health physics consideration etc. will be covered the above topics.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 1989

The result of neutron therapy on head and neck cancer using KCCH -Cyclotron neutron which had been using from October 1986 to September 1989 in the Korea Cancer Center Hospital. Among the total of 27 patients the cases of malignant salivary gland tumor were 14 and the cases of advanced head and neck cancer of AJCC stage IV were 13. The local control rate was 80% in malignant salivary gland tumor and 46.2% in advanced head and neck cancer. The 2 year survival rate was 60% in malignant salivary gland tumor and 38.5% in advanced head and neck cancer. Although there was no significant difference in prognosis according to the pathologic types, squamous cell carcinoma revealed a pattern of poor prognosis. The major complication from the neutron therapy had developed 7.1% in malignant salivary gland tumor and 23.1% in advanced head and neck cancer. In conclusion, neutron therapy is superior in the treatment of malignant salivary gland tumor and also effective in the treatment of advanced head and neck cancer when it can avoid to treat some site of low tolerance.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2022

Gadolinium neutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) is a precision radiation therapy that kills cancer cells using the neutron capture reaction that occurs when ¹⁵⁷Gd hits thermal neutrons. ¹⁵⁷Gd has the highest thermal neutron capture cross section of 254,000 barns among stable isotopes in the periodic table. Another stable isotope, ¹⁵⁵Gd, also has a high thermal neutron trapping area (~ 60,700 barns), so gadolinium that exists in nature can be used as a Gd-NCT drug. Gd-NCT is a mixed kinetic energy of low-energy and high-energy ionizing particles, which can be uniformly distributed throughout the tumor tissue, thereby solving the disadvantage of heterogeneous dose distribution in tumor tissue. The Gd complexes of small-sized molecule are widely used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in clinical practice. Therefore, these compounds can be used not only for diagnosis but also therapy when considering the concept of Gd-NCT. This multifunctional trial can look forward to new medical advance into NCT clinical practices. In this review, we introduce gadolinium compounds suitable for Gd-NCT and describe the necessity of image guided Gd-NCT.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.189-195
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• 2017

Gel dosimeters have unique advantages in comparison with other dosimeters. Until now, these gels have been used in different radiotherapy techniques as a reliable dosimetric tool. Because dose distribution measurement is an important factor for appropriate treatment planning in different radiotherapy techniques, in this study, we evaluated the ability of the N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) polymer gel to record the dose distribution resulting from the mixed neutron-gamma field of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). In this regard, a head phantom containing NIPAM gel was irradiated using the Tehran Research Reactor BNCT beam line, and then by a magnetic resonance scanner. Eventually, the $R_2$ maps were obtained in different slices of the phantom by analyzing T2-weighted images. The results show that NIPAM gel has a suitable potential for recording three-dimensional dose distribution in mixed neutron-gamma field dosimetry.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05b
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• pp.427-432
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• 1997

Boron neutron capture therapy(BNCT) is a binary treatment modality that can selectively irradiate tumor tissue. More is known now about the radiation biology of BNCT, which has reemerged as a potentially useful method for preferential irradiation of tumors. We design a square reactor (that can easily be reconfigured into polygonal reactors as the need arises) with four slab type assemblies to produce high quality epithermal neutron beans and thermal neutron beams jot use in neutron capture therapy. With a low operating power of 300kW, the heat generated in the core can be removed by natural convection through a pool of tight water. The proposed design in this study could be constructed for a dedicated clinical BNCT facility that would operate very safely.