Neutron Source for Neutron Capture Therapy

A therapy apparatus comprising:

• a tubular moderator structure having a cylindrical outside surface, a cylindrical inner surface providing a cylindrical treatment zone of a diameter accommodating a prone human body, and a constant wall thickness, the structure composed primarily of material known to moderate fast neutrons to lower energy;
• titanium target material embedded in the tubular moderator structure at or near the cylindrical outside surface;
• a plurality of ion sources including accelerator elements having an acceleration power supply operating at ≦100 kW, the ion sources arrayed around the cylindrical outside surface and positioned to accelerate ions having a total fast neutron yield of ≧1011 n/s in a direction substantially orthogonal to the cylindrical outside surface;
• and
• a tubular fast neutron reflector surrounding the tubular moderator structure;
• wherein as a result of the materials, geometry of said materials and the above elements, fast neutrons are emitted isotropically at a plurality of points around the cylindrical outside surface by any one of a Deuterium/Deuterium (DD) and Deuterium/Tritium (DT) fusion reaction at the titanium target material as a result of ion bombardment, neutrons emitted in a direction toward the reflector are directed back into the cylindrical moderator structure, and a uniform density of moderated epithermal neutrons is provided within and across the treatment zone surrounding a patient's body part causing moderation to thermal neutrons at uniform dose rates of 1.8 to 2.0 Gy per session.