arXiv subjects

Valerio Vercesi

Publications and source records attributed to Valerio Vercesi.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

OpenPINT: Open-source Planning for Isoeffective Nuclear Treatments in BNCT research

Objective: Present OpenPINT (Open-source Planning for Isoeffective Nuclear Treatments), an open-source treatment planning system for nuclear therapies that integrates Monte Carlo dose calculations with modular dosimetric and radiobiological models for photon-isoeffective dose evaluation. Approach: We describe the software architecture, implementation choices, and data flow from segmented geometry and source configuration to NIfTI dose outputs. We define BNCT-relevant dosimetric metrics and evaluate the workflow with reproducible analytic and voxelized cylindrical-phantom benchmarks, supplemented by a geometric patient-positioning example. Main results: The module provides a reproducible and scriptable path for generating MCNP-ready inputs, extracting component-wise BNCT dose maps, and computing analysis-ready outputs for quality checks and decision support. Fine-resolution voxelized configurations reproduced the 1 mm analytic reference within 0.13% for the brain-limited irradiation-time endpoint, whereas the full voxelized sweep exposed deviations up to 4.42% in coarse 8--10 mm configurations. Patient-wide gamma pass rates were at least 99.60% for the evaluated mesh/interpolation cases, while low-dose DVH-tail quantities remained sensitive to boundary discretization. Significance: This first paper isolates and validates the simulation-preparation and dosimetric-analysis core of an open-source BNCT treatment-planning platform. It establishes a foundation for subsequent work on optimization, biological weighting, and clinical workflow integration.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2025

Evaluation of patient activation and dosimetry after Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a form of radiotherapy based on the irradiation of the tumour with a low energy neutron beam, after the administration of a selective drug enriched in boron-10. The therapy exploits the high cross section of thermal neutron capture in boron, generating two low-range charged particles. The availability of accelerators able to generate high-intensity neutron beams via proton nuclear interaction is boosting the construction of new clinical centres. One of these is under development in Italy, using a 5 MeV, 30 mA proton radiofrequency accelerator coupled to a beryllium target, funded by the Complementary Plan to the Recovery and Resilience National Plan, under the project ANTHEM. The present study focuses on radiation protection aspects of patients undergoing BNCT, specifically on the activation of their organs and tissues. A criterion to establish the relevance of such activation after BNCT has been proposed. Based on the current Italian regulatory framework, the level of patient activation following BNCT treatment does not pose a significant radiological concern, even shortly after irradiation. Another aspect is the activation of patient's excretions, which can impact on the design of the building and requires a process for the discharge. The described study contributes to the radiation protection study for the ANTHEM BNCT centre in Italy.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2024

Dosimetric comparison of the BNCT treatment planning performances when using a nnU-NET to automatically segment Glioblastoma Multiforme

This work presents a preliminary evaluation of the use of the convolutional neural network nnU-NET to automatically contour the volume of Glioblastoma Multiforme in medical images of patients. The goal is to assist the preparation of the Treatment Planning of patients who undergo Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). BNCT is a binary form of radiotherapy based on the selective loading of a suitable 10-boron concentration into the tumour and on subsequent low-energy neutron irradiation. The selectivity of the therapeutic effect is based on the capacity of the boron drug to target preferentially cancer cells, thus triggering the neutron capture only in the tumour and depositing there a lethal dose. Even if the tailoring of the beam to the tumour volume is less crucial for BNCT than for other radiation therapies, a proper delimitation of the tumour volume is needed to assess a safe and effective dosimetry. In clinical application the contour must be manually decided by the physician, however, a tool to automatically define important structures such as the Gross Tumour Volume (GTV) and the Organs At Risk (OAR) would be beneficial to enable medical physicists assessing preliminary positioning and simulated dosimetry before the approval or possible changes introduced by the radiotherapist. Moreover, an initial contouring may speed up the work of the physician. The nnU-NET was trained and tested and its performance was evaluated through different parameters such as the Dice Coefficient. To assess a more meaningful evaluation for BNCT, for the first time, this work analyzed the difference of the clinical dosimetry in 16 patients using the manual and the automatic contoured images.

physics.med-ph↗