Adaptation of a neutron radiography instrument for live cell irradiation

Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT) for cancer treatment is experiencing renewed interest due to advancements in accelerator-based neutron beams, treatment planning software, and patient positioning devices. This study presents the adaptation of an existing neutron radiography beamline (Dingo), at the OPAL research nuclear reactor, for radiobiological research and novel neutron capture agent development. Human glioblastoma cell cultures were irradiated for up to 10 min with a flux of 2.57 × 10⁸ n/cm² s (± 2.73 × 10⁷) and the resulting impact was quantified by assessing DNA damage by both immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. This low cost methodology extends the capability of an existing beamline to allow the development of novel neutron capture agents and study of neutron radiobiological mechanisms. Increasing availability of neutron sources for biological study in this fashion will accelerate the development of NCT for disease specific clinical application.