Nanodosimetric characterization of ion beams

The characterization of particle track structure is essential for an estimation of radiobiological effects, particularly in the case of densely ionizing radiation. The particle track structure can be characterized by nanodosimetric quantities which are measurable by means of a nanodosimeter. Results...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The European physical journal. D, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Atomic, molecular, and optical physics, 2014, Vol.68 (8), Article 217
Main Authors: Bug, Marion Ute, Hilgers, Gerhard, Baek, Woon Yong, Rabus, Hans
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applications of Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos Theory
Atomic
Biological and medical sciences
Medical sciences
Molecular
Optical and Plasma Physics
Physical Chemistry
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Quantum Information Technology
Quantum Physics
Radiation therapy and radiosensitizing agent
Regular Article
Spectroscopy/Spectrometry
Spintronics
Topical Issue: Nano-scale Insights into Ion-beam Cancer Therapy
Treatment with physical agents
Treatment. General aspects
Tumors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The characterization of particle track structure is essential for an estimation of radiobiological effects, particularly in the case of densely ionizing radiation. The particle track structure can be characterized by nanodosimetric quantities which are measurable by means of a nanodosimeter. Results obtained from experiments with the nanodosimeter can be used to validate track structure simulations, which are essential for estimating track structure parameters in biological material. For this purpose, the dedicated Monte Carlo code PTra has been developed to simulate the nanodosimeter setup as well as nanometric targets consisting of water. Recently, electron-impact cross section data of DNA constituents measured at PTB were implemented into PTra. A calculation of nanodosimetric quantities in DNA-analog media shows considerable differences to results obtained in water medium, particularly for electron energies lower than 200 eV. These discrepancies become more considerable when nanodosimetric quantities are used to estimate biological effects. This paper aims to provide an overview of the present status of nanodosimetry, focusing on the experimental and simulation work at PTB. Furthermore, the suitability of simple models directly linking nanodosimetric track structure characteristics and radiobiological effectiveness is discussed.
ISSN:1434-6060
1434-6079
DOI:10.1140/epjd/e2014-50015-9