Ядерна фізика та енергетика Nuclear Physics and Atomic Energy   ISSN: 1818-331X (Print), 2074-0565 (Online)   Publisher: Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine   Languages: Ukrainian, English   Periodicity: 4 times per year   Open access peer reviewed journal

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Bilalodin^1,*, F. Abdullatif¹, P. Lestari², S. Nurhayati², Zusfahair², Y. Sarjono³, R. Tursinah<sup>4

1</sup> Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Jenderal Soedirman University, Purwokerto, Indonesia
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Jenderal Soedirman University, Purwokerto, Indonesia
³ Research Centre for Accelerator Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
⁴ Research Organization for Nuclear Energy, National Research and Innovation Agency, B. J. Habibie Science and Technology Park, Setu, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, Indonesia

^*Corresponding author. E-mail address: bilalodin@unsoed.ac.id

Abstract: Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a cancer therapy currently under development. The key to successful BNCT therapy depends on the ability of ¹⁰B to be distributed within cells and the quality of the neutrons being used. The research aims to study the effectiveness of the neutron beam from Double-Layer Beam Shaping Assembly (DLBSA) in interacting with ¹⁰B in producing α and ⁷Li particles carried by two boron compounds: p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) and sodium borocaptate (BSH). The effectiveness of the neutron beam is evaluated using microdosimetric parameters by analyzing its range, linear energy transfer (LET) values, and dose distribution at the cellular level. The assessment was carried out using two cell geometry models, namely: single- and multi-cell. The neutron source comes from DLBSA with a neutron flux of 1.1∙10⁹ n/cm²∙s. The modeling, simulation, and calculation of microdosimetry parameters were carried out using the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) program. The study shows that the interaction between neutrons and ¹⁰B produces α and ⁷Li particles with ranges of 10 and 4 μm and LET values of 251.19 and 363.08 keV/μm. The dose distribution of α and ⁷Li particles from the BPA compounds accumulates in the nucleus, and those from the BSH compounds in the cell membrane. Based on the microdosimetry study, neutron interactions from DLBSA can interact with ¹⁰B using both the BPA and BSH compounds to produce α and ⁷Li particles. The quality of the resulting α and ⁷Li particles has met the therapeutic quality required in BNCT.

Keywords: boron neutron capture therapy, Double-Layer Beam Shaping Assembly, microdosimetry, alpha, lithium, linear energy transfer, dose.

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