Geant4-Simulations for cellular dosimetry in nuclear medicine

Abstract

The application of unsealed radionuclides in radiobiological experiments can lead to intracellular radionuclide uptake and an increased absorbed dose. Accurate dose quantification is essential to assess observed radiobiological effects. Due to small cellular dimensions direct dose measurement is impossible. We will demonstrate the application of Monte Carlo simulations for dose calculation. Dose calculations were performed using the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit, wherefore typical experimental situations were designed. Dose distributions inside wells were simulated for different radionuclides. S values were simulated for spherical cells and cell monolayers of different diameter. Concomitantly experiments were performed using the PC Cl3 cell line with mediated radionuclide uptake. For various activity distributions cellular survival was measured. We yielded S values for dose distribution inside the wells. Calculated S values for a single cell are in good agreement to S values provided in the literature (ratio 0.87 to 1.07). Cross-dose is up to ten times higher for Y-90. Concomitantly performed cellular experiments confirm the dose calculation. Furthermore the necessity of correct dose calculation was shown for assessment of radiobiological effects after application of unsealed radionuclides. Thereby the feasibility of using Geant4 was demonstrated.