Summary
Beams of heavy ions like carbon offer both, an improved dose distribution superior to any other type of radiation and an increased relative biological efficiency, RBE, which is restricted to the target volume only.
The various dependencies of RBE on dose, atomic number and tissue sensitivity are described in this paper and are discussed in the framework of the local effect model.
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Kraft, G. RBE and its interpretation. Strahlenther Onkol 175 (Suppl 2), 44–47 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03038887
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03038887