Biomedical investigations on experimental neutron capture therapy with cold neutrons in the laboratory ELLA on the research reactor Dido in Juelich

Neutron capture therapy (NCT) with thermal neutrons and suitable 10B compounds permits the successful treatment of brain tumours via the reaction 10B(n,α)7Li. In the past the effects of new organic 10B amino acid analogues have been analysed by irradiation of solid tumours (EO 771) transplanted on the hind legs of mice (C57 B1/6j) at the reactor Merlin in Juelich. Recently the new external neutron laboratory ELLA at the reactor Dido, with a cold source and 58Ni coated neutron guide tubes came into operation and a universal irradiation facility (EKN) may also be used for biological and bioanalytical experiments. The measurement of neutron flux density and gamma dosimetry has demonstrated the high quality of this cold neutron beam. This facility was used for the analysis of 10B tumour slices and in blood samples from mice after the injection of 10B Hatanaka SS compound using the solid state detector Kodak-Pathe LR-115. (author)