LAMMAWIN, DONNA S.

1. Define or otherwise identify the following:

a) Linear energy transfer – a measure of the rate at which energy is transferred
from ionizing radiation to soft tissue. Expressed in kiloelectron volts per
micrometer of soft tissue.
b) Standard radiation – by convention, is orthovoltage x-radiation in the range of
200 to 250 kVp. This type of x-ray beam was used for many years in radiation
oncology and in essentially all early radiobiologic research.
c) Oxygen enhancement ratio – the ratio of the dose necessary to produce a given
effect under anoxic conditions to the dose necessary to produce the same effect
under aerobic conditions.
d) Repopulation – replication by surviving cells.
e) Extrapolation – estimation of a value beyond the range of known values.
f) Threshold dose – dose below which a person has a negligible chance of
sustaining specific biologic damage, or dose at which response to increasing x-
ray intensity first occurs.
g) Interphase death – the death of an irradiated cell before it reaches mitosis.
h) Dose protraction – a radiation administration method by delivering it
continuously over a relatively long period at a low absorbed dose rate.
i) Radiation weighting factor – the modifying factor used to calculate the
equivalent dose from the average tissue or organ absorbed dose.
j) Tribondeau – a French physician who has been an important name in
biochemical and dermatological research.

2. Write the formula for relative biologic effectiveness.

-
RBE=Dose of standard radiation necessary ¿ produce a given effect ¿ pro
Dose of test radiation necessary ¿

3. Give an example of fractionated radiation.

- Patients receive the radiation dose at the same dose rate but broken into equal
values and given over time (a little today, a little next month, and perhaps a little
next year). Radiation oncology patients receive prescribed doses fractionated daily.

4. Why is high-pressure (hyperbaric) oxygen used in radiation oncology?

- Hyperbaric (high-pressure) oxygen has been used in radiation oncology in an
attempt to enhance the radiosensitivity of nodular, avascular tumors, which are less
radiosensitive than tumors with an adequate blood supply.
5. Write the formula for the oxygen enhancement ratio?
-
OER=Dose necessary under anoxic conditions ¿ produce a given effect ¿
Dose necessary under aerobic cond

6. How does age affect the radiosensitivity of tissue?

- Radiosensivity varies with age. Experiments show that individuals are more sensitive
to radiation at very young and old age.

7. When a radiobiologic experiment is conducted in vitro, what does this mean?

- Outside of the human body. At the cellular or molecular level.

8. Name three agents that enhance the effects of radiation.

i. Halogenated pyrimidines
ii. Methotrexate
iii. Actinomycin D

9. Name three radioprotective agents.

i. Cysteine
ii. Cysteamine
iii. Other sulfhydryl groups

10. Are radioprotective agents used for the human application?

- No because to be effective, they must be administered at toxic levels.

11. Explain the meaning of the radiation dose-response relationship.

- Graphical representation of radiation dose and effect.

12. What occurs in a nonlinear radiation dose-response relationship?

- An equal amount of radiation dose will not necessarily produce an equal response.

13. Explain why the linear, nonthreshold dose-response relationship is used as a model for
diagnostic imaging radiation management.
- Nonthreshold implies that no dose of radiation is so small that there is no degree of
risk.
14. State two of the corollaries to the law of Bergonie and Tribondeau.
- Stem cells are the most sensitive. Young tissue and organs are more radiosensitive
than old tissues and organs. Tissue in a high state of metabolic activity also has high
radiosensitivity. As cellular proliferation increases, so does cellular radiosensitivity.

15. Approximately 8 Gyt of 220 kVp x-rays is necessary to produce death in an armadillo.
Cobalt-60 gamma rays have a lower LET than 220 kVp x-rays; therefore, 9.4 Gy t is
required for an armadillo lethality. What is the RBE of 60CO compared with 220 kVp?
8 Gyt
- RBE of 60CO = = 0.85
9.4 Gyt

16. Under fully oxygenated conditions, 90% of human cells in culture will be killed by 1.5 Gy t
x-rays. If cells are made anoxic, the dose required for 90% lethality is 4 Gy t. What is the
OER?
4 Gyt
- OER = = 2.7
1.5Gyt

17. What are the units of LET?

- The units of LET are keV/m.

18. Describe how RBE and LET are related.

- With increasing LET, RBE increases to a maximum value of approximately 3.0.