Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) of 131I Radiation Relative to 60Co Gamma Rays

OBJECTIVE To assess relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of (131)I radiation relative to (60)Co gamma rays in glioblastoma spheroid cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS : In this experimental study, glioblastoma spheroid cells were exposed to (131)I radiation and (60)Co gamma rays. Radiation induced DNA damage was evaluated by alkaline comet assay. Samples of spheroid cells were treated by radiation from (131)I for four different periods of time to find the dose-response equation. Spheroid cells were also exposed by 200 cGy of (60)Co gamma rays as reference radiation to induce DNA damage as endpoint. RESULTS Resulted RBE of (131)I radiation relative to (60)Co gamma rays in 100 µm giloblastoma spheroid cells was equal to 1.16. CONCLUSION The finding of this study suggests that (131)I photons and electrons can be more effective than (60)Co gamma rays to produce DNA damage in glioblastoma spheroid cells.