Medical Applications of Accelerators

Particle accelerators play an essential role in the field of medical applications. A large variety of systems is in use for diagnostic purposes, such as the production of radioactive tracers for imaging or x-ray radiography. The dominant application, however, is related to the treatment of cancer patients. This article puts emphasis on cancer treatment, presenting the status and developments of the corresponding technical systems, and gives a brief overview of the biophysical properties and medical aspects of these treatments.