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Geant4-DNA collaboration: Improving the accuracy of radiation transport in tissue-equivalent media

Categories:
  • Division 6
  • News from the annual report
  • Fundamentals of Metrology
05.10.2021

Through a collaboration between the PTB (Department 6.3), IRSN, NCBJ and EURADOS, new important interaction cross‑section data are being implemented in the Monte Carlo Geant4‑DNA simulation toolkit. This development should not only improve the accuracy of radiation transport simulations in tissue‑equivalent media, but also increase the versatility of using Geant4‑DNA in micro- and nanodosimetry.

Until recently, physics models in the Monte Carlo Geant4‑DNA simulation toolkit were available only for use in water, which is commonly used as a material substitute for human tissue. Through a collaboration between the French Institute of Radiation Protection (IRSN) and the PTB (Department 6.3) as part of the EMPIR project BioQuaRT new interaction cross‑section data of DNA constituents (measured at PTB) were implemented into Geant4‑DNA. This collaboration has recently expanded to include the Polish National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) and the Computational Dosimetry working group of EURADOS. To facilitate the use of Geant4‑DNA for radiation transport simulations in micro- and nanodosimeters, which are physically operated with tissue‑equivalent gases, the collaboration is currently extending the cross‑section data in Geant4‑DNA to include those of nitrogen and propane for electron energies down to the ionisation threshold and light ions between 100 keV and 20 MeV. The implementation of these cross‑section data in Geant4‑DNA involves rigorous benchmarking with the PTra Monte Carlo code, which was developed at PTB to simulate track structure in nanometric volumes, to test the accuracy of the simulation results. The new physics models should not only improve the accuracy of radiation transport simulations in tissue‑equivalent media, but also increase the versatility of using Geant4‑DNA in the micro- and nanodosimetry.

 

Contact person at PTB:

Opens local program for sending emailHeidi Nettelbeck, Department 6.3, Working Group 6.36

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Head of Press and Information Office

Dr. Dr. Jens Simon

Phone: +49 531 592-3005
Email:
jens.simon(at)ptb.de

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