Design and Testing of a Rotating, Cooled Device for Extra-Corporal Treatment of Liver Cancer by BNCT in the Epithermal Neutron Beam at the HFR Petten

As part of the joint project on extra-corporal treatment of liver cancer by BNCT between JRC Petten and the University Hospital Essen, a facility has been designed and built to contain the liver during its irradiation treatment at the HFR Petten. The design consists of a rotating spheroid shaped PMMA holder, manufactured to open at the equator and closed by screwing together, surrounded by PMMA and graphite blocks. A validation exercise has been performed regarding both the nuclear conditions and the physical conditions. For the former, activation foil sets of Au, Cu and Mn, were irradiated at positions inside the liver holder filled with water, whilst a second measurement campaign has been performed using gel dosimetry. For the physical test, it is required to operate (rotate) the facility for up to 4 hours and to maintain the liver at approximately 4oC. The latter test was performed using “cold gun sprays” that inject cold air near the liver holder. Both the nuclear and physical validation tests were performed successfully.JRC.F.3-High Flux and Future Reactor

Irradiation of an Explanted Pig Liver at the HFR Petten

As part of a study between the University Hospital Essen and the JRC Petten to assess the feasibility to perform BNCT on an explanted organ (liver) at the HFR, a liver was taken from a pig in the operating theatre for animals at the Central Animal Facility of the Medical Faculty in Essen, and transported by car to Petten. On arrival 3 hours later, the liver was placed into the special PMMA holder and loaded into the custom-built Liver-Irradiation-Facility (LIF). Air supply provided by cold gun sprays gave a temperature of 5¿10 °C around the liver holder throughout the irradiation, which lasted 3 hours exactly. The liver was then brought back to Essen. It was noted that the liver was more radioactive than expected, in comparison to a patient irradiation. The measured radiation level directly following radiation was almost 200µSv/h on contact but after only about 15 minutes, halved to 100µSv/h, due to activated 24Na. The exercise established where improvements are needed, including: writing of Standard Operating Procedures; documentation files fulfilling the legal requirements for human irradiation; a treatment plan; better temperature control, including calibration of the cold guns; but also the need for ready availability of equipment, such as ice and cleansing material (tissue, alcohol, etc.). The overall exercise is one of the first of many procedures, i.e. testing of the transport logistics and the irradiation device (LIF), and should be seen as one of a number of steps needed prior to a full human treatment.JRC.F.7-Energy systems evaluatio