Characteristics of the new THOR epithermal neutron beam for BNCT

A characterization of the new Tsing Hua open-pool reactor (THOR) epithermal neutron beam designed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has been performed. The facility is currently under construction and expected in completion in March 2004. The designed epithermal neutron flux for 1 MW power is 1.7×109 n cm−2 s−1 in air at the beam exit, accompanied by photon and fast neutron absorbed dose rates of 0.21 and 0.47 mGy s−1, respectively. With 10B concentrations in normal tissue and tumor of 11.4 and 40 ppm, the calculated advantage depth dose rate to the modified Snyder head phantom is 0.53 RBE-Gy min−1 at the advantage depth of 85 mm, giving an advantage ratio of 4.8. The dose patterns determined by the NCTPlan treatment planning system using the new THOR beam for a patient treated in the Harvard–MIT clinical trial were compared with results of the MITR-II M67 beam. The present study confirms the suitability of the new THOR beam for possible BNCT clinical trials.