What is the Role of Accelerators in Cancer Treatment?
Particle accelerators, devices that propel charged particles to high speeds, are crucial in cancer treatment facilities. They generate the beams used in proton and heavy ion therapy. Additionally, accelerators are employed in the production of radioisotopes for both diagnostic imaging and therapeutic purposes. For example, radioisotopes produced in accelerators are used in positron emission tomography (PET scans) to visualize metabolic processes in the body, aiding in cancer diagnosis and monitoring.
