Synchrotron Radiation in Biology and Medicine

This work is focused on a present status of synchrotron radiation X-ray applications in medicine and biology to imaging, diagnostics, and radiotherapy. Properties of X-ray beams generated by synchrotron sources are compared with radiation produced by classical laboratory X-ray tubes. A list of operating and planned synchrotron facilities applicable to biomedical purposes is given, together with their basic characteristics. A concise overview of typical X-ray synchrotron techniques in biology and medicine is carried out with discussion of their specific properties and examples of typical results.