Enhancement of IUdR radiosensitization by low energy photons

The effect of the photon energy on the radiosensitization produced by iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) was examined using Chinese hamster cells in vitro. Radiosensitization by IUdR was considerably higher for 60 keV photons from 241Am sources than for the 860 keV photons (average energy) from 226Ra sources, under continuous low dose rate conditions applicable to intracavitary brachytherapy (a dose rate of 0.57 Gy/hr). Also, IUdR radiosensitization was higher for 250 kV X rays than for 4 MV X rays under the acute exposure conditions used in external beam radiation therapy (dose rates of 1 to 2 Gy/min). These data support the hypothesis that photons with energies just greater than 32.2 keV, the K-absorption edge of iodine, are more effective in causing cell damage than are photons of other energies, because their absorption results in the production of Auger electron cascades and therefore in the production of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiations.