Panel Disdussion

3rd International Congress of of Nuclear Medicine & & 15th 15th Iranian Annual Annual Congress of
Congress of Nuclear Medicine
Shahid Beheshti Shahid Beheshti University University of Medical of Medical Sciences Sciences 19-21 19-21 May May 2011
B10 distribution in adult rat’s brain
Nasrin Baghban Khojasteh, Ali Pazirandeh, Behnam Jameie
Islamic Azad University
Background: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy is a tumor specific
modality to treat some hard to cure cancers such glioblastoma
multiform and melanoma. It is based on the reaction of 10B atoms
absorbed in the tumor and thermal neutrons. The exact mechanism,
absorption rate and distribution of boron in different areas of brain
are still unknown. In order to find the distribution of 10B in different
regions of brain the present study was done.
Material and Methods: Adult Wistar female rats were used; animals
were divided into two groups including control and trial. Trial group
received two single intraperitoneal shots of 1 ml of neutral boron
compound. Three hours later, the animals were sacrificed and the
brains were removed and three coronal sections of 20μm thickness of
forebrain, midbrain and brainstem were prepared by using freezing
microtome. The sections were sandwiched between two pieces of
polycarbonates and irradiated with thermal neutrons and then
etched. Alpha tracks were detected and studied by optical
microscopy. The plots of 10B distribution in three regions of brain
were obtained, compared and analyzed statistically.
Results: We found significant differences in 10B distribution among
forebrain, midbrain and brainstem with the highest concentration in
the midbrain.
Conclusion: Based on our findings the concentration of 10B in
midbrain may help therapists use more effective treatment planning,
including neutron flux level and irradiation time.
Keywords: BNCT, Rat brain, Boron distribution
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