termsTerm
Oxygen enhancement ratio
How many times more radiation a cell without oxygen needs to be killed compared with the same cell with oxygen: about 2.5 to 3 for X-rays, close to 1 for the heaviest particle beams.
Overview
Oxygen reacts with the free radicals radiation creates in DNA and makes the damage permanent, so oxygenated cells die at lower doses. The oxygen enhancement ratio is near 3 for photons and protons and falls toward 1 for high-LET radiation such as carbon ions and neutrons, which is one argument for particle therapy in hypoxic tumours and for boron neutron capture therapy.
Schematic · not to scale
RF / microwave applicators · 41-43 °C
Showing the technology this term belongs to: Tumour hypoxia: imaging and modification.
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not linked directly; found by shared links- TermTumour hypoxia
Shares Tumour hypoxia: imaging and modification and the tag radiation-wave1.