The relative biological effectiveness of carbon ion irradiations of the rat spinal cord increases linearly with LET up to 99 keV/μm

Figures & data

Figure 1. Single fraction dose-response curves for the original [10] and repeated carbon ion experiment at 99 keV/μm together with the reference curve for 15 MV photons [9]. The curve of the present study shows an increased slope and a lower TD₅₀-value. Error bars indicate the uncertainty (1 SE) of TD₅₀.

Figure 2. Measured dependence of RBE on LET: Compared to our previous study [10], a higher RBE was measured at 99 keV/μm including previous data [10] the LET-dependence is well described by a linear regression line. At 99 keV/μm, the RBE prediction of LEM IV agrees well with the measured data, whereas LEM I shows large deviations. Towards very low LET values, LEM I agrees better than LEM IV. Vertical error bars represent 1 SE while horizontal error bars represent a ± 2 mm positioning uncertainty of the spinal cord within the SOBP.

Saager M, Glowa C, Peschke P, et al. Carbon ion irradiation of the rat spinal cord: dependence of the relative biological effectiveness on linear energy transfer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2014;90:63–70.

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