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A comparison of radiation effects on mammalian cells in vitro caused by X-rays, high energy neutrons and negative pions

Theoretical considerations based upon the two component theory of radiation

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Summary

Various equations describing survival curves for irradiated mammalian cells are discussed and the four-parameter multi-target equation with a single hit term has been chosen for the present analysis. This equation is closely related to the two-component theory which connects the lethal and sublethal (“potential lethal”) biological effects with high and low LET parts of the dose spectrum. Assuming an “energy package” (i.e. ionization energy contained in a small volume) of 750 eV the LET distribution and the absorbed dose distribution in a particle track can be calculated. Comparing the last values with results obtained from experimental survival curves, the lower limit for the high LET (α-component) is evaluated to be about 12 keV/µm givingα values of 0.16 and 0.45 for X-rays and 15 MeV neutrons respectively.

12 different cell lines taken from normal tissue and from various tumors irradiated aerobic in vitro with 300 keV X-rays and 15 MeV neutrons have been analysed and the parameters are displayed. The cell sensitivities show fairly great differences.

At the peak of the depth dose curve negative pion beams produce a composite radiation consisting of about\({\raise0.5ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 2$}\kern-0.1em/\kern-0.15em\lower0.25ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 3$}}\) high- and\({\raise0.5ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 1$}\kern-0.1em/\kern-0.15em\lower0.25ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 3$}}\) low LET radiation. Theα-value for the “pure star-dose” isα = 0.45. For the composite radiation the averageα-value will be about 0.34 to 0.29 depending on the relative momentum spread and the contamination of the beam with electrons and muons.

The LET spectrum of the star-dose is characterized by the proton component extending from about 1–50 keV/µm and theα-particle (and heavy recoils) component extending from about 20 to more than 200 keV/µm. The proton component will enhance theβ-effects, produced by LET radiations below 12 keV/µm. Theα-particle component having LET-values greater than 100 keV/µm will repress the oxygen influence on theα-effect to zero and thus lower the OER-value for pions to about 1.9 (OER ∼ 2.7 for low-LET radiation). RBE S = 0.1-values depend on cell parameters and might be about 1.6 or lower.

Up to the present time only a few cell-lines have been investigated. The measured survival curves are analysed and the evaluated cell parameters discussed.

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  1. CH-5415, Nussbaumen, Switzerland

    R. Wideröe

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Wideröe, R. A comparison of radiation effects on mammalian cells in vitro caused by X-rays, high energy neutrons and negative pions. Radiat Environ Biophys 15, 57–75 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01330900

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