Application of Synchrotron Radiation in Fundamental Research and Clinical Medicine

Synchrotron radiation light source has been successfully used in material science, biomedicine, and other fields because of its high intensity, good monochromaticity, and excellent coherence and collimation. In recent years, the source has significantly expedited the advancement of medical applications. High contrast and spatial-temporal resolution images based on synchrotron radiation X-ray have been obtained, presenting innovative opportunities for precise clinical diagnosis and therapy. In this review, we first delineate the characteristics of synchrotron radiation beamlines, then conclude recent breakthroughs in synchrotron X-ray imaging and radiotherapy for various clinical applications, particularly for heart, breast, lung, bone, and brain conditions. Novel synchrotron radiation X-ray radiotherapy treatments, including microbeam and stereotactic radiotherapy, have shown great potential for clinical application by enabling more precise and low-dose treatments. Synchronized radiation techniques are projected to redefine diagnostic criteria for imaging and therapeutic options for resistant cancer, offering immense potential for medical applications.