Intercomparison of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, quantitative neutron capture radiography, and prompt gamma activation analysis for the determination of boron in biological samples.

Schütz, C.; Brochhausen, C.; Hampel, G.; Iffland, D.; Kuczewski, B.; Otto, G.; Schmitz, T.; Stieghorst, C.; Kratz, J.

Boron determination in blood and tissue samples is a crucial task especially for treatment planning, preclinical research, and clinical application of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Comparison of clinical findings remains difficult due to a variety of analytical methods, protocols, and standard reference materials in use. This paper addresses the comparability of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, quantitative neutron capture radiography, and prompt gamma activation analysis for the determination of boron in biological samples. It was possible to demonstrate that three different methods relying on three different principles of sample preparation and boron detection can be validated against each other and yield consistent results for both blood and tissue samples. The samples were obtained during a clinical study for the application of BNCT for liver malignancies and therefore represent a realistic situation for boron analysis. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

INDUCTIVELY coupled plasma mass spectrometry; BORON-neutron capture therapy; BORON; ANALYTICAL chemistry; INDUCTIVELY coupled plasma spectrometry; MASS spectrometry

Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2012, Vol 404, Issue 6/7, p1887

1618-2642

Academic Journal

10.1007/s00216-012-6329-4