For the physical characterization of neutron beam, dosimetric measurements had been performed to obtain physical data of KCCH cyclotron-produced neutrons for clinical use. The results are presented and compared with the data of other institutions from the literatures. The central aixs percent depth dose, build-up curves and open and wedge isodose curve values are intermediate between that of a 4 and 6 MV X-ray. The build-up level of maximum dose was at 1.35 cm and entrance dose was approximately 40%. Flatness of the beam was 9% at Dmax and less than+/-3% at the depth of 80% isodose line. Penumbra begond the 20% line is wider than corresponding photon beam. The output factors ranged 0.894 for 6 x 6 cm field to 1.187 for 30 x 30 cm field. gamma contamination of neutron beam was 4.9% at 2 cm depth in 10 x10 cm field.
Cyclotrons ; Neutrons*

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Neutrons*

The conservation of precious source of medicinal herb from traditional medicine phyllathus amarus (= P. niruri L.) was effectively conducted by in vitro propagation. The process of in vitro propagation of this culture consists of main following stages: (1) Start budding: suitable materials are meristems, apical buds and auxiliary buds; Rapid propagation: The medium for highest propagation coefficient is MS; creating complete plantlets: rapid root differentiation with good quality roots is observed in the medium MS+ NAA; in nurseries: the suitable substrate for ex-vitro stage is black sandy soils; (2) The medium able to form potassium at highest rate is MS + 2.4D; (3) The analysis of mineral compositions shows low contents of heavy metals and rare earth elements (REE), but considerably high in potassium, that may be due to diuretic activity of P. amarus.
Neutrons ; Minerals

The energy spectra and dose calculations were performed for secondary neutrons from a 24 MV LINAC using MCNPX code (V2, 4, 0). The energy spectra for neutrons and photons emitted from the LINAC head, and absorbed dose to water were calculated in water phantom. The absorbed doses calculated with Monte Carlo were 0.66~0.35 mGy/photon Gy at the surface to d=5 cm, and calculated with interaction data was 0.52 mGy/photon Gy at the depth of electron equilibrium in water. We have shown that this work can be applied to dose estimation of neutrons from high energy LINAC through the comparison of our results with other results.
Head ; Neutrons* ; Photons ; Water

A thermal neutron beam facility utilizing a typical tangential beam port for Neutron Capture Therapy was installed at the HANARO, 30 MW multi-purpose research reactor. Mixed beams with different physical characteristics and relative biological effectiveness would be emitted from the BNCT irradiation facility, so a quantitative analysis of each component of the mixed beams should be performed to determine the accurate delivered dose. Thus, various techniques were applied including the use of activation foils, TLDs and ionization chambers. All the dose measurements were performed with the water phantom filled with distilled water. The results of the measurement were compared with MCNP4B calculation. The thermal neutron fluxes were 1.02E9 n/cm2 s and 6.07E8 n/cm2 s at 10 and 20 mm depth respectively, and the fast neutron dose rate was insignificant as 0.11 Gy/hr at 10 mm depth in water. The gamma-ray dose rate was 5.10 Gy/hr at 20 mm depth in water. Good agreement within 5%, has been obtained between the measured dose and the calculated dose using MCNP for neutron and gamma component and discrepancy with 14% for fast neutron flux. Considering the difficulty of neutron detection, the current study support the reliability of these results and confirmed the suitability of the thermal neutron beam as a dosimetric data for BNCT clinical trials.
Fast Neutrons ; Neutron Capture Therapy* ; Neutrons* ; Relative Biological Effectiveness ; Water

With the advance of modern radiation therapy technique, radiation dose conformation and dose distribution have improved dramatically. However, the progress does not completely fulfill the goal of cancer treatment such as improved local control or survival. The discordances with the clinical results are from the biophysical nature of photon, which is the main source of radiation therapy in current field, with the lower linear energy transfer to the target. As part of a natural progression, there recently has been a resurgence of interest in particle therapy, specifically using heavy charged particles, because these kinds of radiations serve theoretical advantages in both biological and physical aspects. The Korean government is to set up a heavy charged particle facility in Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences. This review introduces some of the elementary physics of the various particles for the sake of Korean radiation oncologists' interest.
Korea ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Neutrons ; Protons

188Re (beta=22 MeV; gamma=155 keV; T1/2=16.9 hours) is an attractive therapeutic radioisotope which is produced from decay of reactor-produced tungsten-188 parent (T1/2=69 days). 188W has been produced from the double neutron capture reaction of 186W. 188Re can be easily obtained by elution of saline on alumina based 186W/188Re generator, which is commercially available. Complexes labelled with 188Re have been developed for the radiotherapy treatment of diseases because of the desirable nuclear properties of the radioisotope and it's chemical properties similar to those of technetium, a well established diagnostic agent.
Aluminum Oxide ; Humans ; Neutrons ; Parents ; Radiotherapy ; Technetium

For evaluation of biological effect of p+(50.5 MeV) Be neutron beam produced by Korea Cancer Center Hospital(KCCH) cyclotron the RBE had been measured in experimental tumor Walker 256 carcinosarcoma as well as normal tissue, mouse intestine and bone marrow, in single and fractionated irradiation. As pilot study, the RBE had been measured for the mouse jejunal crypt cells in single whole body irradiation of which the result was 2.8. The obtained RBE values of TCD 50 of Walker 256 tumor, bone marrow and intestine in single irraiation were 1.9, 1.9 and 1.5 respectively. In fractionated irradiation, the RBE value of tumor Walker 256 was decreased as increasing of fraction number and increased as increaing of fraction size.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Carcinosarcoma* ; Cyclotrons ; Fast Neutrons* ; Intestines ; Korea ; Mice ; Neutrons ; Pilot Projects ; Whole-Body Irradiation

PURPOSE: It has been well established that response of cells and tissues to low LET radiations(X- or grmma-ray) can enhanced by comdining with hyperthermia. However, There has been relatively little of hyperthermia on the possible modification of either cellular or tissue responses to other types of radiation. So, We investigated the combined effect of fast neutron irradiation and hyperthermia according to the sequence and time interval of the two MATERIALS AND METHODS: In MKN-45 cells, a human stomach cancer cell line, Surviving fractions were measured according to the sequence treatment of 6,4,2,0 hour interval for fast neutron irradiation(1.5Gy) combined with hyperthermia(41 degrees C for 30 min or 43 degrees C for 30 min). RESULTS: D(0) and n of MKN-45 for neutron were 0.8Gy and 2.5, respectively. The surviving fraction by 1.5 Gy of neutron was 0.36+/-0.34. Interacting powers were mostly. The surviving fraction by 1.5 Gy of neutron was 0.36+/-0.34. Interacting powers were mostly ranged between 1 and 2, bur they were 3.0Gy 2.7, respectively for hyperthermia (41 degrees C for 30 min) followed by neutron irradiation 6 and 4 hours later. CONCLUSION: The combined effect of fast neutron (1.5Gy) and hyperthermia (41 degrees C or 43 degrees C for 30min) is largely independently additive. Preceding mild hyperthermia (41 degrees C for 30 min) 4 or 6 hours before neutron may cause decreased sensitivity to subsequent neutron irradiation.
Cell Line ; Fast Neutrons* ; Fever* ; Humans ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Neutrons ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of common three photon energies (6-MV, 10-MV, and 15-MV) on intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans to treat prostate cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with prostate cancer treated locally to 81.0 Gy were retrospectively studied. 6-MV, 10-MV, and 15-MV IMRT plans for each patient were generated using suitable planning objectives, dose constraints, and 8-field setting. The plans were analyzed in terms of dose-volume histogram for the target coverage, dose conformity, organs at risk (OAR) sparing, and normal tissue integral dose. RESULTS: Regardless of the energies chosen at the plans, the target coverage, conformity, and homogeneity of the plans were similar. However, there was a significant dose increase in rectal wall and femoral heads for 6-MV compared to those for 10-MV and 15-MV. The V20 Gy of rectal wall with 6-MV, 10-MV, and 15-MV were 95.6%, 88.4%, and 89.4% while the mean dose to femoral heads were 31.7, 25.9, and 26.3 Gy, respectively. Integral doses to the normal tissues in higher energy (10-MV and 15-MV) plans were reduced by about 7%. Overall, integral doses in mid and low dose regions in 6-MV plans were increased by up to 13%. CONCLUSION: In this study, 10-MV prostate IMRT plans showed better OAR sparing and less integral doses than the 6-MV. The biological and clinical significance of this finding remains to be determined afterward, considering neutron dose contribution.
Head ; Humans ; Neutrons ; Organs at Risk ; Prostate ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies