Preliminary results of neutron spectroscopy in proton therapy treatment room in Ithemba Labs (South Africa)

Proton beams originating from accelerators high energy hadrons lead to the production of neutrons when protons interact with the elements present in the beam line. Furthermore, when these protons are used for proton therapy treatments, their interaction with the patient also involves production of neutrons, mainly due to interactions with the C, O and N. This represents a source of unwanted radiation that increases the risk of developing second cancers by the patient. Assessment of risk factors is one of the goals of our project.