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This paper was aimed to explore the physics of Cherenkov radiation and its potential application in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The Monte Carlo toolkit Geant4 was used to simulate the interaction between the epithermal neutron beam and the phantom containing boron-10. Results showed that Cherenkov photons can only be generated from secondary charged particles of gamma rays in BNCT, in which the 2.223 MeV prompt gamma rays are the main contributor. The number of Cherenkov photons per unit mass generated in the measurement region decreases linearly with the increase of boron concentration in both water and tissue phantom. The work presented the fundamental basis for applications of Cherenkov radiation in BNCT., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Optimization of the Compton camera for measuring prompt gamma rays (0.478MeV) emitted during boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was performed with Geant4. The parameters of the Compton camera were determined as follows: 3cm thick - 10cm wide scatter detector (Silicon), 10cm thick - 10cm wide absorber detector (Germanium), and 1cm distance between the scatter and absorber detectors. For a typical brain tumor treatment, the overall detection efficiency of the optimized Compton camera was approximately 0.1425% using the Snyder's head phantom with a sphere tumor (4cm diameter and ~1cm depth)., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)