Microdosimetry spectra and RBE of 1H, 4He, 7Li and 12C nuclei in water studied with Geant4

A Geant4-based Monte Carlo model for Heavy-Ion Therapy (MCHIT) is used to study radiation fields of 1H, 4He, 7Li and 12C beams with similar ranges (∼160-180 mm) in water. Microdosimetry spectra are simulated for wall-less and walled Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counters (TEPCs) placed outside or inside a phantom, as in experiments performed, respectively, at NIRS, Japan and GSI, Germany. The impact of fragmentation reactions on microdosimetry spectra is investigated for 4He, 7Li and 12C, and contributions from nuclear fragments of different charge are evaluated for various TEPC positions in the phantom. The microdosimetry spectra measured on the beam axis are well described by MCHIT, in particular, in the vicinity of the Bragg peak. However, the simulated spectra for the walled TEPC far from the beam axis are underestimated. Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) of the considered beams is estimated using a modified microdosimetric-kinetic model. Calculations show a similar rise of the RBE up to 2.2-2.9 close to the Bragg peak for helium, lithium and carbon beams compared to the modest values of 1-1.2 at the plateau region. Our results suggest that helium and lithium beams are also promising options for cancer therapy.