What Is a Synchrotron?
A synchrotron is an accelerator that controls the high-frequency electric field that accelerates the speed of charged particles and the magnetic field that deflects their path so that they can maintain a constant circumference of their rotation.
While cyclotrons have an ever-increasing radius of gyration, synchrotrons can control the kinetic energy of the charged particles that are ultimately extracted by keeping it constant. This also eliminates the problems associated with the effects of relativity.
Uses of Synchrotrons
Synchrotrons are used in particle beam (heavy particle and proton beam) therapy, a type of radiation therapy currently used in cancer treatment. Radiation therapy has attracted attention because of its various advantages over conventional particle therapy using photon beams, such as X-rays or proton beams.
In particular, heavy particle therapy uses carbon ions, which are even larger particles than protons, and has been confirmed to be effective in treating diseases that have been difficult to treat with conventional radiotherapy.
Other Information on Synchrotrons
Features of Synchrotrons
One of the major applications of synchrotrons is heavy particle radiotherapy, which offers advantages that have not been available in conventional cancer treatment. Currently, there are three types of cancer treatment: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy, one of the treatments, uses particle beams such as X-rays and protons, and depending on the type of cancer, has a cure rate comparable to that of surgery. On the other hand, localized side effects are said to be unavoidable.
The advantages of heavy particle radiation therapy are that it is effective for cancers deep inside the body and for cancers that are difficult to treat with X-rays or protons.
Heavy particle irradiation from two directions (horizontal and vertical irradiation) makes it possible to concentrate irradiation on cancers deep inside the body, without damaging the surrounding normal cells.
In addition, the irradiation of heavy particles (e.g., carbon ions), which have a relatively large mass, has enhanced the ability to kill cancers such as sarcomas that have not been effectively treated with conventional radiotherapy.