System, i.e€., one needs in principle a separate, empirically determined “curve”, for agent carriers (particles) of every conceivable type and energy, So that any generality of the RBE cuncept is tllusory. Thus severe compromises must be made in order for the system to be workable at all. Peay Neale Fig. 7 Schematic based on Fig. 1, indicating that, with LLE, one can in principle f111 in completely the “triangular area™ represented by the fanily of curves 1. This can be done simply by appropriate P iaStovemi OAT Ley eae HSEF. The fact that the curves can fill an trea also indicates that an additional varfable is involved as well as an unéxpressed continuous That is to say, the three-dimensional plot in, Fig. 3 is required. This missing variable has been thought to be LET, expressed as keV um! in tissues. {s not adequate for However, it has long been well appreciated that LET the purpose. It is clear from the above discussion Fi as thx OF; ors alt dos wit Part call dose thar cs i st ‘ * Teesabs i o %, aeReve atts Face et: ee nar ad tre s function, Ruse wad ile a shown in Fis. choices of particle type and energy. The plot indicates that any discrete values of RBE tnat may be derived from the curves in Fig. 1 are arbitrary and unique to a particular set of clrcumstances. This indicates the need for a different approach, such as that involving the ae eid aoe 8 eR ita dot = Jun Ae ee oles re hantah A Ge agi Sak dete eetee YR CE . that this missing functioa is not LET, to tissues, Rather, constitute cell dose. charactertzed as the in the sense of transfer is quite specific--to Se the cell TCV, to Thus high and low-LET radiations might better be lacge- aad small cell dose-producing radiations. ~220- 2 EOS ‘ OLEAca a transfer of energy Sina] ] risk