Topic summary
Cyclotrons
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Cyclotron.
Cyclotrons were the most powerful particle accelerator technology until the 1950s, when they were surpassed by the synchrotron. Nonetheless, they are still widely used to produce particle beams for nuclear medicine and basic research. As of 2020, close to 1,500 cyclotrons were in use worldwide for the production of radionuclides for nuclear medicine and ultimately, for the production of radiopharmaceuticals. In addition, cyclotrons can be used for particle therapy, where particle beams are directly applied to patients.