The depth-dependence of the biological effectiveness of 60Co gamma rays in a large absorber determined by dicentric chromosomes in human lymphocytes.

Radiobiological evidence is shown concerning a significant depth-dependence of the maximum relative biological effectiveness at limiting low doses (RBE(M)) of (60)Co gamma rays in a cubic polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) phantom of 30 cm edge length. Using the dose-response curve for the dicentric data in human lymphocytes obtained in the present experiment at a depth of 20 cm, together with the comprehensive and consistent data set determined earlier at smaller depths of the PMMA phantom, there is an increase in the RBE(M) value by a factor of 2.18 +/- 1.25 at a depth of 20 cm relative to 1 cm in the phantom. All the dicentric data are based on identical exposure durations and irradiation temperatures as well as identical culture and evaluation conditions, with blood from the same donor.