Search

Using the Monte Carlo simulation tool GEANT4 we simulated the hadron-therapy beam line of the CATANA (Centro di AdroTerapia ed Applicazioni Nucleari Avanzate) center. This is the unique italian hadron-therapy facility in which 62 MeV proton beams are used for the radiotherapeutic treatment of choroidal and iris melanomas. All the elements, such as diffusers, range shifters, collimators and detectors, typical of a proton-therapy line were modelled. The beam line provides an ideal environment for the experimental testing and validation of the software developed. The software architecture was developed, and the validation of the software is in its final stage. Simulated ranges, energy distribution, depth and lateral dose distributions for full energy proton beams will be compared tothe experimental results obtained at LNS (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud) with different detectors.

The best experimental conditions to perform photofission measurements in the energy range 100–300 MeV by using the Frascati annihilation photon beam are deduced. For nuclei with very low fission threshold energies it is shown to be advantageous to collect the photon beam an angle ϑγ > 1°. For nuclei with high fission threshold energies, the annihilation photon contribution to the yield already pre-dominates for 0.5° ⩽ ϑγ ⩽ 1°.