Three dimensional approach to investigating biological effects along energetic ion beam pathways

Abstract

Heavy ion beams have many exciting applications, including radiotherapy of deep-seated tumors and simulation tests of space irradiation for astronauts. These beams often use a feature that concentrates the energy deposition largely along the end of the energy pathway, leading to different distributions of biological effects along the axial direction. Currently, there is relatively little information regarding the radial directional difference of biological effects along the heavy ion paths. This study utilized a filter membrane that was quantatively applied with cells to demonstrate a 3D distribution model of irradiation on biological effects in living organisms. Some results have indicated that there is excitatory effect on the non-irradiated regions with energetic ions, which may give new insights into the distribution of biological effects along the paths of heavy ion beams with mid-high energy.