A syringe-needle type monochromatic X-ray source for selective tumor irradiation using X-ray absorption characteristics of sensitizing agents

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24650291
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Medical systems
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: OGURI Yoshiyuki 東京工業大学, 原子炉工学研究所, 教授 (90160829)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HASEGAWA Jun 東京工業大学, 大学院総合理工学研究科, 准教授 (90302984)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OGAWA Masao 駒澤大学, 医療健康科学部, 教授 (60016863)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 放射線治療 / 単色X線 / 陽子線 / 注射針 / 増感剤 / 静電加速器 / 二次電子 / イメージングプレート

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We proposed a highly-selective radiotherapy based on monochromatic X-rays and cancer-targeting radiosensitizing agent. To deliver low-energy monochromatic X-rays which selectively ionize the sensitizer atoms into the cancerous tissue deep inside the patient's body, we employed a syringe-needle type X-ray source driven by a MeV proton beam. From a simple numerical evaluation, we found that optimization of the primary X-ray energy was essential to enhance the dose around the sensitizer. To confirm the above idea qualitatively, we performed a simulation experiment in the atmosphere, where a 100-nm gold foil was used instead of the radiosensitizing agent. The experimental result showed that the dose around the gold foil was much higher than that at positions away from the foil, owing to short-range secondary electrons from the foil. However, we found that the X-ray intensity must be increased by many orders of magnitude to put this technique into practical use in the future.

Free Research Field

イオンビーム応用工学