Review of RBE and OER values for Cf-neutrons

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7063911

Kal, H B

The isotope californium-252 was first isolated and characterized after the nuclear explosion which took place in the Eniwetok Island complex in November 1952. Californium decays by alpha emission and by spontaneous fission where fission fragments, X and gamma rays and neutrons are emitted. The effective half-life dominated by alpha decay is about 2.66 year. Since the discovery of /sup 252/Cf and its production for biological research in the late sixties, several tens of reports on responses of many biological systems to treatments with Cf-neutrons have been published. The two quantities of practical interest are the relative biological effectiveness, RBE, and the oxygen enhancement ratio, OER. The RBE is a measure for comparison of the doses of californium and radium gamma rays needed for a specific biological endpoint. Laboratory studies of RBE can provide a useful guide to the doses to be applied in clinical practice with californium radiation. The OER is a measure for comparison of the doses required for a specific biological endpoint in the absence and in the presence of oxygen. From numerous experiments it has been established that the OER of fast neutrons is lower than that of gamma rays. It is commonly believed that one of the limitations of radiotherapy is the presence of a hypoxic fraction of cells in tumours. Therefore, the potential advantage of californium rests upon its lower OER. A review of experimental data on these two quantities is provided.

• Research Organization: Radiobiological Institute TNO, Rijswijk
• OSTI ID: 7063911
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States) Vol. 2:3; ISSN NSAPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA PARTICLES
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
CHARGED PARTICLES
DATA ANALYSIS
DISEASES
DOSE RATES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GAMMA RADIATION
HEAVY NUCLEI
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NEUTRON EMISSION
NEUTRON THERAPY
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEI
OXYGEN ENHANCEMENT RATIO
PHOTON EMISSION
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RBE
THERAPEUTIC USES
THERAPY
USES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES