Comparison of carbon ions versus protons
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
1RKA, Universitäts-Kliniken Giessen, Marburg, Germany.
Abstract:
At present, beam ion beam therapy has started to spread worldwide. In Europe and Asia, combined carbon/proton facilities are favored, but in the US, only proton centers are under construction. This development is partially due to the different funding procedures and partially due to the more complex physical and especially biologic features of the heavy ions. In this article, the basic properties of both ions are presented, and their features for therapy are outlined. This refers to the dose conformity, the general precision of the treatment, and the ability to monitor via in-beam positron emission tomography the ions range inside the patient. Then the very complex biologic features are treated, and, finally, the treatment plans are compared.
Related Concept Videos
Carbon-13 (¹³C) NMR: Overview
¹H NMR Chemical Shift Equivalence: Homotopic and Heterotopic Protons
¹³C NMR: ¹H–¹³C Decoupling
A broadband decoupling technique is used to simplify these complex, sometimes overlapping, signals. Broadband decoupling relies on a...
Electron Behavior
Electrons Orbit the Nucleus
Electrons are found in specific locations outside of the nucleus. The shell in which an electron resides indicates the general energy level of the electron: those closer to the nucleus have less energy,...
Electron Behavior
Ionization Energy

