Mechanism of cell inactivation by different ions: Damage induction probabilities per single tracks

TL;DR

This study investigates how different ions cause cell inactivation by analyzing the probabilities of damage from single ion tracks, considering their energy transfer properties and effective charge to velocity ratio.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of lesion induction probabilities per ion track based on LET and effective charge, enhancing understanding of ion-specific biological effects.

Findings

Damage induction probabilities vary with LET and ion type.

Effective charge over velocity ratio explains lesion severity.

Results support probabilistic models of cell inactivation.

Abstract

Biological effects of proton and light ion irradiations have been studied in detail by analyzing published cell survival data with the help of the probabilistic two-stage radiobiological model. Probabilities of single ion tracks to induce lesions of different severity have been assessed in dependence on their linear energy transfer (LET). The results are presented and their interpretation in terms of $Z_{eff}^2/\beta^2$ (the effective charge over velocity squared) is discussed.