The physics of irradiation of biological matter by ion beams

In radiobiology, predicting the evolution of irradiated biological matter is nowadays an active field of research to identify DNA lesions or to adapt the radiotherapeutic protocols in radiation oncology. In this context, the numerical methods, based on Monte Carlo track-structure simulations, represent the most suitable and powerful tools for understanding the radiobiological damages induced by ionizing particles. In the present work, we report the theoretical differential and total cross sections, computed within the quantum mechanical continuum distorted wave-eikonal initial state (CDW-EIS) approach, for ion impact on water vapor and DNA nucleobases. These cross sections have been used to build up the input database for the homemade Monte Carlo track-structure TILDA-V. A comparison between the theoretical predictions and the available experimental data is presented. Micro-dosimetry results obtained with TILDA-V are also reported. •Theoretical quantum-mechanics calculations in ions-biomolecules collisions.•Monte Carlo track structure code based on quantum-mechanics cross sections.•Radiobiology endpoints in living matter.