Abstract
Whether it is in radiobiology to identify DNA lesions or in medicine to adapt the radiotherapeutic protocols, a detailed understanding of the radiation-induced interactions in living matter is required. Monte Carlo track-structure codes have been successfully developed to describe these interactions and predict the radiation-induced energy deposits at the nanoscale level in the medium of interest. In this work, the quantum-mechanically based Monte Carlo track-structure code TILDA-V has been used to compute the slowing-down of protons in water and DNA. Stopping power and range are then reported and compared with existing data. Then, a first application of TILDA-V to cellular irradiations is also reported in order to highlight the absolute necessity of taking into account a realistic description of the cellular environment in microdosimetry.
Highlights
Radiation physics remains nowadays an active field of research
Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were carried out using TILDA-V, a homemade Monte Carlo track-structure code designed to describe the transport of light ions in biological matter
For water vapor impacted by protons (Fig. 3a), we report the obtained total cross sections (TCS) for all the six physical processes, namely, ionization, electron capture and excitation induced by proton, and ionization, electron loss and excitation induced by neutral hydrogen
Summary
Radiation physics remains nowadays an active field of research. On the one hand, ionizing radiations are widely used in the clinical setting for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, being one of the most effective tools to cure cancer[1]. A precise knowledge of the mechanisms through which ionizing radiations induce damage on the DNA molecule is still of great importance for understanding the effects of low radiation doses on human health, either for radiation protection measures or for enhancing the effectiveness of cancer treatments. In this context, Monte Carlo track-structure (MCTS) codes are powerful tools able to tackle various problems in radiotherapy and radiobiology, including the estimation of microdosimetric parameters with a high level of accuracy[4]. An example of the application of TILDA-V to radiation microdosimetry in individual cells is described in detail
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