The quantity is known as the
[math]u \equiv \left({\mathbf P_1^*}- {\mathbf P_2^{'*}}\right)^2=\left({\mathbf P_2^{*}}- {\mathbf P_1^{'*}}\right)^2[/math]
In the CM Frame
[math]{\mathbf P_1^{*}}=-{\mathbf P_2^{*}}[/math]
[math]{\mathbf P_1^{'*}}=-{\mathbf P_2^{'*}}[/math]
[math]E_1^{*}=E_1^{'*}=E_2^{*}=E_2^{'*}[/math]
[math]\left | \vec p_1^* \right |=\left | \vec p_1^{'*} \right |=\left | \vec p_2^* \right |=\left | \vec p_2^{'*} \right |[/math]
[math]u =\left({\mathbf P_1^*}- {\mathbf P_2^{'*}}\right)^2=\left({\mathbf P_2^{*}}- {\mathbf P_1^{'*}}\right)^2[/math]
[math]u={\mathbf P_1^{*2}}+ {\mathbf P_2^{'*2}}-2 {\mathbf P_1^*} {\mathbf P_2^{'*}}={\mathbf P_2^{*2}}+ {\mathbf P_1^{'*2}}-2 {\mathbf P_2^*} {\mathbf P_1^{'*}}[/math]
[math]u=2m^2-2E_1^*E_2^{'*}+2 \vec p_1^* \vec p_2^{'*}=2m^2-2E_2^*E_1^{'*}+2 p_2^* p_1^{'*}[/math]
[math]u=2m^2-2E_1^{*2}+2 \left | p_1^{*2}\right | \cos \theta_{1\ 2'}=2m^2-2E_2^{*2}+2 \left | p_2^{*2}\right | \cos \theta_{2\ 1'}[/math]
where [math]\theta_{1\ 1'}[/math] and [math]\theta_{2\ 2'}[/math]is the angle between the before and after momentum in the CM frame
In the Lab Frame
[math]u={\mathbf P_1^{2}}+ {\mathbf P_2^{'2}}-2 {\mathbf P_1} {\mathbf P_2^{'}}={\mathbf P_2^{2}}+ {\mathbf P_1^{'2}}-2 {\mathbf P_2} {\mathbf P_1^{'}}[/math]
[math]u=2m^2-2E_1E_2^{'}+2 \vec p_1 \vec p_2^{'}=2m^2-2E_2E_1^{'}+2 p_2 p_1^{'}[/math]
with [math]p_2=0[/math]
and [math]E_2=m[/math]
[math]u=2m^2-2E_1E_2^{'}+2 \vec p_1 \vec p_2^{'}=2m^2-2mE_1^{'}[/math]
[math]u=2m^2-2E_1E_2^{'}+2 \left | p_1 \right | \left | p_2^{'} \right | \cos \theta_{1\ 2^{'}}=2m^2-2mE_1^{'}[/math]