Synchrotron Radiation Applications in Medical Research

Abstract

Upton, N Y 11973Over the past two decades there has been a phenomenal growth in the number of dedicated synchrotron radiation facilities and a corresponding growth in the number of applications in.both basic and applied sciences. From the very beginning it was recognized that the synchrotron provides an ideal x-ray source for many applications in the biomedical sciences. The high flux and brightness, 'tunable beams, time structure and polarization were important parameters in the growth of structural biology and molecular dynamics. Today protein crystallography is one of the fastest growing fields being developed for the second and third generation sources.Beginning in the late 1 9 7 0 '~~ it was recognized that the synchrotron radiation beams could also be applied to diverse in-vivo research and clMcal problems such as coronary and cerebral imaging, mammography, and radiotherapy. There is thus a dual aspect to the field of medical applications of synchrotron radiation. First there are the important in-vitro programs such as structural biology and designer drug design, flourescence analysis of trace elements, x-ray microscopy, and radiation cell biology. Second there are the programs that are ultimately targeted at in-vivo-applications. This paper will discuss the advantages of the synchrotron radiation to the in-vivo basic and applied programs of coronary angiography, multiple energy computed tomography, mammography and radiation therapy. The present status of the programs at laboratories around the world will be reviewed and some future projections for these applications will be made.