Development of Monte Carlo based real-time treatment planning system with fast calculation algorithm for boron neutron capture therapy

Purpose: We simulated the effect of patient displacement on organ doses in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). In addition, we developed a faster calculation algorithm (NCT high-speed) to simulate irradiation more efficiently.

Methods: We simulated dose evaluation for the standard irradiation position (reference position) using a head phantom. Cases were assumed where the patient body is shifted in lateral directions compared to the reference position, as well as in the direction away from the irradiation aperture. For three groups of neutron (thermal, epithermal, and fast), flux distribution using NCT high-speed with a voxelized homogeneous phantom was calculated. The three groups of neutron fluxes were calculated for the same conditions with Monte Carlo code. These calculated results were compared.

Results: In the evaluations of body movements, there were no significant differences even with shifting up to 9mm in the lateral directions. However, the dose decreased by about 10% with shifts of 9mm in a direction away from the irradiation aperture. When comparing both calculations in the phantom surface up to 3cm, the maximum differences between the fluxes calculated by NCT high-speed with those calculated by Monte Carlo code for thermal neutrons and epithermal neutrons were 10% and 18%, respectively. The time required for NCT high-speed code was about 1/10th compared to Monte Carlo calculation.

Conclusions: In the evaluation, the longitudinal displacement has a considerable effect on the organ doses. We also achieved faster calculation of depth distribution of thermal neutron flux using NCT high-speed calculation code.