Frankfurt 2006 – scientific programme

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SYHB: Hans-Bethe Symposium

SYHB 2: Hans-Bethe Symposium II

SYHB 2.3: Invited Talk

Monday, March 13, 2006, 17:40–18:10, HV

The Implication of Bethe’s Equation to Radiation Biology and Therapy — •G. Kraft — GSI, Wixhausen und Technische Universität, Darmstadt

Bethe’s theory of the passage of fast particles through matter explains the increase of particle interaction with decreasing velocity. This effect is the basis for a larger energy deposition at the end of macroscopic particle beams as used in tumor therapy.

The increase in interaction density in each particle track is in addition the reason for an enhanced production of local DNA damage yielding clusters of lesions. At a certain ionisation density the magnitude of clustered lesions exceeds the cellular repair capacity and yields cell death.

In carbon tumor therapy both effects, the high dose and the enhanced relative biological effectiveness in the tumor produce outstanding clinical results. In particle biology, heavy ions can be used to study the kinetics of DNA repair processes.