The compact Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) system independently developed by the Institute of Energy, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center has achieved a major technological breakthrough. Recently, the system successfully realized stable extraction and operation of the ion source proton beam at an acceleration voltage of 2.05 MV, and completed full-element verification of neutron radiation dose and neutron yield through target-side neutron radiation detection. This achievement indicates that the overall performance of the Institute’s DC high-voltage accelerator-based BNCT system has reached the leading level among similar domestic technologies, laying a solid engineering foundation for subsequent clinical translation.

Associate Researcher Wang Jichao, BNCT Project Leader of the Neutron Center, Assistant Researcher Hu Xingguang, and Engineer Liu Yang led the technical team in overcoming difficulties. With full support from the Institute and center leadership, they completed multiple rounds of parameter iteration testing. In this experiment, by adding a high-precision neutron yield detector, improving data acquisition, and optimizing the system’s operating characteristics through analysis, particle energy and system stability were significantly enhanced. Compared with the first detection of neutron radiation signal at 1.90 MV acceleration voltage achieved on April 18 this year, this test not only raised the acceleration voltage to 2.05 MV but also achieved systematic breakthroughs in core parameters such as beam duration and beam current stability. It further verified the engineering feasibility of DC high-voltage accelerator technology for achieving high-parameter operation in compact BNCT equipment, marking another step forward in the localization of key components and the overall integration capability of domestic BNCT systems.

In the next step, the research team will focus on upgrading the ion source structure while simultaneously increasing the neutron yield to the clinical treatment benchmark level. The center will continue to promote full-chain verification of BNCT from technological R&D to industrial application, accelerating the clinical application process of domestic miniaturized treatment equipment.

Figure 1 Neutron yield and neutron radiation dose monitoring (2.05 MV beam operation)  

Figure 2 DC high-voltage accelerator voltage output waveform of this experiment