Theoretical study of the role of non-elastic nuclear interactions for proton beams between 50 and 250 MeV in targets of radiological interest: applications in radiotherapy and tomography with protons

• Grant number: 08/00464-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2008
• End date: August 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Nuclear Physics
• Principal Investigator: Joel Mesa Hormaza
• Grantee: Joel Mesa Hormaza
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

With this project we intend to develop a study of the processes of proton beams interaction with targets of interest in radiology, by using the simulation code MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended) v2.50. This work will serve as support in the implementation of a tomographic system with proton beam, as well as for the study of the contribution to total dose of secondary particles produced in non-elastic nuclear scattering of protons in different targets. The study will be developed for homogeneous and heterogeneous targets constitute by water, acrylic, polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA), and tissue plastic equivalents, among others; for proton beams between 50 MeV and 250 MeV, which is the energy range of clinical interest. (AU)