Clinical requirements and accelerator concepts for BNCT

Accelerator-based neutron sources are an attractive alternative to nuclear reactors for providing epithermal neutron beams for boron neutron capture therapy. Based on clinical requirements and neutronics modeling the use of proton and deuteron induced reactions in /sup 7/Li and /sup 9/Be targets has been compared. Excellent epithermal neutron beams can be produced via the /sup 7/Li(p,n)/sup 7/Be reaction at proton energies of /spl sim/2.5 MeV. An electrostatic quadrupole accelerator and an Li target, which can deliver and handle 2.5 MeV protons at beam currents up to 50 mA, are under development for an accelerator-based BNCT facility at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.