Production of the PET isotope ¹¹C in hadron therapy via neutron knockout

Abstract

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.