Supervisors info:
Εμφιετζόγλου Δημήτριος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων
Γεωργακίλας Αλέξανδρος, Καθηγητής, ΣΕΜΦΕ, ΕΜΠ
Κυριακού Ιωάννα, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων
Summary:
The ionizing radiation, and more specifically a-particles, while travelling through matter, and most importantly through biological tissue, induces many kinds of different damages, such as DSBs(Double-strand breaks), SSBs(Single-strand breaks) and and other types of damages, that demonstrate great complexity. These damages have critical consequences in the survival of the cells and if these damages do not be repaired, there is a great danger of cellular death and the appearance of mutations and carcinogenesis. Therefore, it is important to conduct a comprehensive study and deep dive into the mechanism of interaction between alpha particles and matter, as well as collect data regarding the response of DNA to such radiation.
Specifically, in this thesis, we conducted Monte Carlo simulations for alpha particles using MCDS simulation software and calculated the number of different types of clustered damages (DSBs, SSBs, nonDSBs) for various oxygen levels. The data that we used, was collected using the data mining method and with the help of the Python language and the LQ model, we calculated the parameters α and β, which have big clinical significance in radiation therapy. We, then, compared the number of damages resulting from alpha radiation to those resulting from γ rays using as a source of γ rays the radioisotope of 137Cs
Finally, we discussed the application of alpha radiation in medicine, specifically radionuclide 223Ra, and compared its action to the action of 89Sr in cells, highlighting the need for further study of the mechanisms of such radioisotopes in clinical practice.
Keywords:
α Particles, Radiobiology, MCDS, DSBs, 223Ra in nuclear medicine
