Upgrade of the Epithermal Neutron Beam Using 235U Fission Plates at Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor (BMRR)

Effective treatment of very deep intracranial tumors with BNCT requires a high intensity epithermal neutron beam and/or greater relative accumulation of boron in the tumor to deliver sufficient dose at depth. Since it is unlikely that a significantly improved boron delivery agent will become available for clinical use in the near future, the best approach for achieving an effective treatment of such tumors appears to be to improve the neutron beam. An upgraded epithermal beam facility, using 235U fission plates, has been designed for the BMRR and construction is now beginning.