Relative biological effectiveness

Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) is a concept used in radiobiology and radiation therapy to quantify the biological effectiveness of ionizing radiation types. It compares the biological effectiveness of one type of ionizing radiation to that of another, both of which produce the same amount of biological damage. The RBE is an important factor in radiation protection, radiation therapy, and radiobiology.

Definition

The Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) is defined as the ratio of the dose of a reference radiation (usually X-rays or gamma rays) that produces a certain biological effect to the dose of the radiation of interest that produces the same biological effect. The RBE is a dimensionless quantity.

Factors Influencing RBE

Several factors can influence the RBE of a radiation type. These include the radiation quality, the dose and dose rate, the biological endpoint, the oxygen concentration, and the cell or tissue type.

Use in Radiation Therapy

In radiation therapy, the RBE is used to calculate the equivalent dose, which is the product of the absorbed dose and the RBE. This allows for a more accurate comparison of the biological effects of different types of radiation.

See Also

• Radiation therapy
• Radiobiology
• Ionizing radiation
• Radiation protection

References

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