Three-Dimensional Simulation of Neutron Flux Distribution in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT)

Abstract

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of malignant brain tumor, presenting a high incidence and resistance to conventional treatment methods. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) stands out as an innovative and promising approach for treating complex tumors such as GBM, as it enables the selective destruction of tumor cells with minimal impact on healthy tissues.
In this study, the multigroup neutron diffusion equation is solved in a three-dimensional domain using four energy groups. The neutron source is represented as a boundary condition, and after diagonalizing the system of equations, the method of Separation of Variables can be applied to obtain a closed-form eigenfunction expansion. The validation of the proposed approach was carried out through numerical simulations in a water phantom, whose results indicated that thermal and epithermal neutron fluxes are predominant.