¥ adequate the average probabllity of to evaluate the quantal response at any With LLE, on the other hand, each point on the curve shown given dose D. represents an entire population of cells, and the interest focuses on how many in that population will be seciously injured or killed. number of cells hit, Here the the distribution of hit sizes, and an HSEF, are FRACTION OF ORGANS RESPONDING QUANTALLY Q ZONE } Lue f HLE eee F<<t0} Frmio;, zap Fig. 9 Schematic showing the transition, for cell lethality, from LLE where absorbed dose is not appropriate, to HLE where ‘ey is curve A, which is hoth an exposure~quantal it is. (tethal) response function for cells, and a dose-effect curve for the next highest level of biological organization, the At low exposures the focus {s on evaluating the number organ. At laree exposures the of cell elements responding quantally,. focus is om the degree to which function of che cell systeu, the organ, has been compromised by massive cell killing. This determines the probability of the organ, and therefore the ocgantsm responding quantally (lethally). oe we ae of al Teas Uae ss ——+ - Relationship between RBE and the HSEF AS seen from Eq (1) above, Tihs the RBE, with LLE, the organ ahsorbed dose D is equal to ZF. is simply the ratio of zF for the standard radiation, divided by zF for the test high-LET radiation, varies with radiation quality, is to be a measure of lUowever, the values of F should be made equal the influence of quality only, as indicated by -223- nme ec Day ee dhe sas wate wine Se ery ee 6 FRACTION OF CELLS RESPONDING QUANTALLY reguired for cisk evaluacion, since {if RBE F