Purpose: Positron emitting isotopes such as 11C and 10C can be used for vital dose verification in hadron therapy. These isotopes are produced when the high energy 12C primary beam particles undergo nuclear reactions within the patient.
Methods: We discuss a model for calculating cross sections for the production 11C in 12C+12C collisions, applicable at hadron therapy energies.
Results: Good agreement with the available cross section measurements is found for 12C(-1n), though more detailed, systematic measurements would be very valuable.
Conclusions: Nuclear structure plays a crucial role in the reactions of light nuclei, particularly when those reactions are peripheral and involve only a few nucleons. For such reactions, nuclear structure has a strong influence on the energy and angular distribution of the cross section, and is an important consideration for reliable dose verification using 11C in hadron therapy.
Keywords: Hadron therapy; Nuclear reactions.
Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.