Particle Beam Therapy [Summary]

Physical Aspects of Particle Beam Therapy The advantage of particle beams in radiotherapy arises from their possession of one or more of the following properties: (1) Well-defined range in tissue. (2) Little scattering in passage through the body. (3) Gradual increase of the specific ionization along range with high peak near the end of the range (Bragg-peak). (4) High LET (linear energy transfer), with the consequent elimination of the disadvantageous difference in radiation sensitivity between oxygenated and hypoxic tissue. The particles which could be used in radiotherapy are: electrons, neutrons, protons,