Principles and roots of neutron capture therapy

Abstract

Boron neutron capture therapy is a binary form of radiation therapy using the high propensity of the nonradioactive nuclide boron-10 to capture thermal neutrons resulting in the prompt nuclear reaction 10B(n,α)7Li. The products of this reaction have high linear energy transfer characteristics (α particle approximately 150 keVμm-1, 7Li-nucleus approximately 175 keVμm-1). The path lengths of these particles in water or tissues are in the range of 4.5-10 μm: hence resulting an energy deposition limited to the diameter of a single cell. Theoretically, therefore, it is possible to selectively irradiate those tumor cells that have taken up a sufficient amount of 10B and simultaneously spare normal cells.