An investigation on the capabilities of the PENELOPE MC code in nanodosimetry
- Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Simon Bolivar, P.O. Box 89000, Caracas (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)
The Monte Carlo (MC) method has been widely implemented in studies of radiation effects on human genetic material. Most of these works have used specific-purpose MC codes to simulate radiation transport in condensed media. PENELOPE is one of the general-purpose MC codes that has been used in many applications related to radiation dosimetry. Based on the fact that PENELOPE can carry out event-by-event coupled electron-photon transport simulations following these particles down to energies of the order of few tens of eV, we have decided to investigate the capacities of this code in the field of nanodosimetry. Single and double strand break probabilities due to the direct impact of {gamma} rays originated from Co{sup 60} and Cs{sup 137} isotopes and characteristic x-rays, from Al and C K-shells, have been determined by use of PENELOPE. Indirect damage has not been accounted for in this study. A human genetic material geometrical model has been developed, taking into account five organizational levels. In an article by Friedland et al. [Radiat. Environ. Biophys. 38, 39-47 (1999)], a specific-purpose MC code and a very sophisticated DNA geometrical model were used. We have chosen that work as a reference to compare our results. Single and double strand-break probabilities obtained here underestimate those reported by Friedland and co-workers by 20%-76% and 50%-60%, respectively. However, we obtain RBE values for Cs{sup 137}, Al{sub K} and C{sub K} radiations in agreement with those reported in previous works [Radiat. Environ. Biophys. 38, 39-47 (1999)] and [Phys. Med. Biol. 53, 233-244 (2008)]. Some enhancements can be incorporated into the PENELOPE code to improve its results in the nanodosimetry field.
- OSTI ID:
- 22098440
- Journal Information:
- Medical Physics, Vol. 36, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2009 American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-2405
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGANISMS AND BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CESIUM 137
COBALT 60
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DOSIMETRY
EV RANGE 10-100
GAMMA RADIATION
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PHOTON TRANSPORT
RADIATION EFFECTS
STRAND BREAKS