Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University and the Research Institute of Oncology of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center have presented the first application in Russia for individual planning of gamma-neutron therapy for malignant tumors. It has already been officially registered as a product of intellectual work, but does not yet have a name.
Neutron therapy is performed on charged particle accelerators, neutron generators, or nuclear reactors. They are used to obtain a neutron beam, which is directed to the site of tumor localization. The development by oncologists and specialists in the field of nuclear technology is considered the most promising method for combating malignant tumors.
According to the TPU press service, the application allows medical physicists to more accurately calculate the dose load values when planning gamma-neutron therapy on the U-120 cyclotron, as well as optimize the distribution of radiation dose in the tissues and organs of each patient. Thanks to the application, radiologists can assess possible risks and side effects for the patient.
To do this, a number of parameters of dosimetric plans are entered into the application: the number of sessions, a single dose per fraction, the number of radiation fields, the characteristics of the neutron dose field, the angles of incidence of the beams, the coordinates of the beam entry points.
With the help of the application, it is possible to calculate not only the dose with which the tumor will be irradiated, but also the load received by the patient's skin surface and critical organs — healthy tissues and cells. Thus, computer modeling of dose fields makes it possible not only to optimize the treatment process, but also to minimize the risks of complications and deterioration of the patient's quality of life.
In the future, the application interface will be supplemented, in particular, it will be possible to reconstruct a three-dimensional view of the patient's anatomical structures in 3D format.
In its current form, the development, implemented with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science's "Priority 2030" program, has already been presented to a wide audience at the Russian scientific and practical conference "Promising Directions in Radiation Therapy of Malignant Neoplasms".