Abstract
AB023. A versatile treatment planning system for basic research in boron neutron capture therapy
Pablo Torres-Sánchez1, Antònia Verdera1, Ignacio Porras1, Javier Praena1, Jose Exposito2, Rocio Estrada3
1Department of Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain;
2Oncología Radioterapica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain;
3Servicio de Radiofísica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain
Correspondence to: Antònia Verdera, PhD student. Department of Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics, University of Granada (UGR), Av. de Fuente Nueva, s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain. Email: averdera@ugr.es.
Background: The development of a treatment planning system (TPS) for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) addresses the critical need for accurate and adaptable treatment planning in this field. The complexity of BNCT, which involves the precise alignment of neutron beams and boron carriers with the tumor site, necessitates a sophisticated planning tool. The TPS described in this work has been created to be a tool useful for basic research and to offer a significant advancement in the field of BNCT. A key aspect in the design and development of this TPS is its intrinsic versatility. The system is designed to be highly adaptable, allowing for the incorporation of free parameters and the seamless integration of new capabilities. The objective of this study is to present the design and implementation of this TPS and to illustrate its potential applications in BNCT research.
Methods: Our TPS extracts data from DICOM images of patients [computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and/or positron emission tomography (PET)/CT], and incorporates this geometry and materials into the Monte Carlo simulation code MCNP v6.2. used as dose engine in this case. Materials and tissues are chosen considering Hounsfield unit conversions. The TPS is able to use any neutron beam previously built into MCNP as an input for the calculation of dose. Different models of dose computation can be implemented for the elaboration dose reports, which include isodose maps and dose-volume histograms. The results can be optimized to determine the definitive treatment plan.
Results: Based on the medical images obtained from actual hospital patients, it has been possible to test the program with real cases. The cases that have been studied so far are glioblastomas, but this TPS can be adapted to different areas of the whole body. These prime tests have been done with a recently designed neutron production system optimal for BNCT of deep tumors and also with a reactor-based facilities as the FiR-1. The flexibility in all the described steps of this TPS makes it relevant to basic research that are necessary for BNCT. This includes the potential application of BNCT to cancers in advanced stages by simulating treatments in real cases.
Conclusions: The TPS described in this abstract is a versatile and powerful tool for BNCT research. It effectively integrates patient data from medical images into dose calculations using MCNP v6.2. The system’s flexibility allows for adaptation to various areas of the body and the testing of treatments with real cases, particularly in the context of advanced cancer stages. This research has the potential to advance the field of BNCT and its application to real-world patient scenarios.
Keywords: Treatment planning system (TPS); basic research; MCNP; Python
Acknowledgments
None.
Funding: This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Proyectos de I+D+i: PID2020-117969RB-I00), the Junta de Andalucía, Spain [Andalusian Regional Government (P20-00665) and Programa Operativo FEDER Andalucia 2014–2020 under contracts (A-FQM-371-UGR18 and B-FQM-156-UGR20)], the Spanish La Caixa Foundation, and from the donors of the University Chair “Neutrons for Medicine”: Fundación ACS, Capitán Antonio, La Kuadrilla de Iznalloz, Sonriendo se Puede Ganar, and Costaleros Contra el Cáncer, Spain.
Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://tro.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/tro-25-ab023/coif). P.T.S., I.P., and J.P. have a patent pending to University of Granada. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Ethical Statement: The authors are accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. No human or animal subjects were involved in this study.
Open Access Statement: This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits the noncommercial replication and distribution of the article with the strict proviso that no changes or edits are made and the original work is properly cited (including links to both the formal publication through the relevant DOI and the license). See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.
doi: 10.21037/tro-25-ab023
Cite this abstract as: Torres-Sánchez P, Verdera A, Porras I, Praena J, Exposito J, Estrada R. AB023. A versatile treatment planning system for basic research in boron neutron capture therapy. Ther Radiol Oncol 2025;9:AB023.
