A machine in which positively charged atomic particles are so accelerated that they acquire energies equivalent to those produced by millions of volts. From the medical point of view, its interest is that it is a source of neutrons. (See RADIOTHERAPY.)
n. a machine in which charged particles following a spiral path within a magnetic field are accelerated by an alternating electric field. It produces very high-energy charged particles for radiotherapy (*proton therapy), which has been used in the treatment of certain cancers, particularly of the eye. Cyclotrons are used in the preparation of radioisotopes for imaging, particularly those for PET scanning (see positron emission tomography).
a type of radiotherapy that uses a beam of protons. These charged particles are produced by a *cyclotron and penetrate only a predictable distance into the body depending on the proton energy. This is the radiotherapy treatment of choice for many childhood cancers, particularly brain and spinal tumours, as it can avoid more normal tissue and reduce the risk of long-term complications (including secondary malignancy) compared with photon (X-ray) beams.... proton therapy
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