Statistical mechanics formulation of radiobiology

TL;DR

This paper develops a statistical mechanics framework for radiobiology, deriving cell survival factors from entropy principles, revealing phase transition behavior, and classifying tissues into universality groups.

Contribution

It introduces a novel formulation of radiobiological survival factors using maximum entropy principles, unifying empirical models and identifying phase transition phenomena.

Findings

Survival factors derived from entropy principles

Identification of phase transition behavior in cell survival

Classification of tissues into universality classes

Abstract

The expression of survival factors for radiation damaged cells is empirical and based on probabilistic assumptions. We obtain it either from the maximum entropy principle for the classical Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy and/or from the Tsallis entropy. Empiric models are found to be particular cases of the obtained expression. The survival factor exhibits a phase transition behaviour. This formulation supports different tissues grouped as universality classes.