Thursday, November 30, 2017, 16:00
WHGA Auditorium
Saverio Altieri, University of Pavia
Abstract:
University of Pavia has a long tradition in the research in the field of
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT); preclinical and clinical activity
was performed using as a neutron source the Triga Mark II nuclear
research reactor of Pavia University.
Nowadays BNCT research and clinical activities are moving from nuclear reactors to neutron sources produced by charged particles accelerators; Pavia group is studying the possibility to create a clinical BNCT facility inside the Italian Hadron Therapy Center (CNAO) that is treating patients with protons and Carbon Ions in Pavia. The BNCT neutron source will be based on an RFQ proton accelerator (5MeV, 30 mA) coupled to a Be target, developed by INFN.
In the past BNCT was applied to two patients affected by disseminated hepatic metastases, using the auto-transplantation technique irradiating the explanted liver in the Thermal Column of Pavia Reactor. Presently preclinical research is still very active to extend BNCT to other tumors (limb osteosarcoma, disseminated pulmonary metastases and mesothelioma) without organ explantation. A fruitful collaboration has been established between researchers of Nuclear Physics National Institute (INFN), many Italian Universities and some International Institutions and Laboratories working in various aspects of BNCT: development of new boron carriers, boron concentration measurements by alpha spectrometry, neutron autoradiography and SPECT, in vitro and in vivo toxicity and effectiveness tests of the new carriers.
In the talk a brief review of BNCT activities in Pavia and worldwide
will be presented.