Boron concentration measurement in biological tissues by charged particle spectrometry

• Published in: Radiation and environmental biophysics 2013-11, Vol.52 (4), p.493-503
• Main Authors: Bortolussi, S., Altieri, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and Medical Physics; Biophysics; Boron; Boron - chemistry; Boron - metabolism; Boron Neutron Capture Therapy; Ecosystems; Effects of Radiation/Radiation Protection; Environmental Physics; Humans; Irradiation; Low temperature; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Monte Carlo Method; Neutrons; Original Paper; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Spectrometry; Spectrum analysis; Spectrum Analysis - methods; Tissues
• ISSN: 0301-634X; 1432-2099
• DOI: 10.1007/s00411-013-0480-y

Measurement of boron concentration in biological tissues is a fundamental aspect of boron neutron capture therapy, because the outcome of the therapy depends on the distribution of boron at a cellular level, besides on its overall concentration. This work describes a measurement technique based on the spectroscopy of the charged particles emitted in the reaction 10 B( n , α ) 7 Li induced by thermal neutrons, allowing for a quantitative determination of the boron concentration in the different components that may be simultaneously present in a tissue sample, such as healthy cells, tumor cells and necrotic cells. Thin sections of tissue containing 10 B are cut at low temperatures and irradiated under vacuum in a thermal neutron field. The charged particles arising from the sample during the irradiation are collected by a thin silicon detector, and their spectrum is used to determine boron concentration through relatively easy calculations. The advantages and disadvantages of this technique are here described, and validation of the method using tissue standards with known boron concentrations is presented.