Boron distribution analysis by alpha-autoradiography.

The distribution of the boron-10 compound, Na2 10B12H11SH, which is now in clinical use for boron neutron capture therapy for brain tumors, was studied topographically and quantitatively in rats using neutron-induced alpha-autoradiography. Transplanted intracerebral tumors in Sprague-Dawley rats were used. In the normal brain, only a minute amount of 10B (less than 1 microgram 10B/cm3) was found in the brain parenchyma, except for the infundibulum and area postrema. Boron-10 accumulated in the brain tumors. The tumor-to-blood concentration ratio of 10B increased with time after injection and reached unity 12 hr after injection. The tumor concentration calculated at that time was 18 micrograms 10B/cm3. This study clearly shows that this 10B compound accumulates in the transplanted rat tumors in the brain and that tumor concentration and tumor-to-blood ratio of 10B can provide a sufficient condition for brain tumor treatment.