Research of disease onset mechanism by determining the distribution of intracellular trace elements using an in-air micro-PIXE analyzer system

Nakano, Takashi*; Arakawa, Kazuo; Sakurai, Hideyuki*; Hasegawa, Masatoshi*; Yuasa, Kazuhisa*; Saito, Etsuko*; Takagi, Hitoshi*; Nagamine, Takeaki*; Kusakabe, Takahiko*; Takada, Hisashi*; Nakazato, Kyomi*; Suzuki, Keiji*; Kamiya, Tomihiro; Sato, Takahiro; Oikawa, Masakazu*; Sakai, Takuro

A new program was started out to create a new medical scientific field, which is consisting of radiation oncology and nuclear medicine, utilizing the advanced accelerator and ion beam technology. An in-air micro-PIXE analyzer system, which is among the most important technical basis of the program, was upgraded to improve accuracy of elemental mapping for samples having thickness variation in a scope of microbeam scanning. In the program, on the other hand, in order to approach important bio-medical problems on cancer, intracellular dynamics of the trace elements according to mechanism of development of diseases were studied using this system. This paper outlines this program and shows the system upgraded, and results of preliminary studied about the problems.