Protonstrålning

Protonstrålning är en form av partikelstrålning bestående av fria protoner.

Protonstrålning förekommer till skillnad från alfastrålning och betastrålning inte naturligt vid radioaktivt sönderfall utan måste åstadkommas artificiellt. Det främsta användningsområdet är för behandling av cancer då precisionen vid protonstrålning möjliggör att tumörer kan bestrålas med mindre skada på frisk, omkringliggande vävnad^[1].

Källor

^ Proton beam therapy (PBT), American Society for Radiation Oncology: Photon beams deposit their greatest amount of energy beneath the patient's surface with a gradual reduction in energy deposition along the beam path as photons pass through the target and then through an exit point out of the body. In contrast, the physical profile of a beam of proton particles allows for the majority of its energy to be deposited over a very narrow range of tissue at a depth largely determined by the energy of the proton beam. A proton beam deposits relatively less radiation energy upon entering the body compared to a photon beam. The energy deposition of the proton beam then rapidly increases over a narrow range of tissue at a desired depth to produce an intense dose distribution pattern called the Bragg peak. Beyond the Bragg peak, energy and dose deposition rapidly decrease, resulting in the absence of any significant exit dose deposited in normal tissue beyond the target.

[1] Proton beam therapy (PBT), American Society for Radiation Oncology: Photon beams deposit their greatest amount of energy beneath the patient's surface with a gradual reduction in energy deposition along the beam path as photons pass through the target and then through an exit point out of the body. In contrast, the physical profile of a beam of proton particles allows for the majority of its energy to be deposited over a very narrow range of tissue at a depth largely determined by the energy of the proton beam. A proton beam deposits relatively less radiation energy upon entering the body compared to a photon beam. The energy deposition of the proton beam then rapidly increases over a narrow range of tissue at a desired depth to produce an intense dose distribution pattern called the Bragg peak. Beyond the Bragg peak, energy and dose deposition rapidly decrease, resulting in the absence of any significant exit dose deposited in normal tissue beyond the target.

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