Radiobiology of alpha particles. IV. Cell inactivation by alpha particles of energies 0.4-3.5 MeV

In this report the effectiveness of low-energy alpha particles in the range 0.4 to 3.5 MeV for cell killing is investigated. Four cell lines of different nuclear dimensions (AG1522, C3H 10T1/2, CHO-10B, and HS-23) are studied. Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to interpret the experimental results. They are presented as a function of dose to the nucleus, the total track length of alpha particles in the nucleus, and other parameters. It is found that the effectiveness of alpha particles for cell killing decreases with decreasing alpha-particle energy. The maximum RBE value is found to extend to LET values as high as 180 keV/microns. Although the LET might be the same, the effectiveness of alpha particles for cell killing is higher in the ascending part of the Bragg curve compared to descending part of the Bragg curve. The terminal tracks of alpha particles are observed to be less effective for cell killing.