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Article: Quarks, leptons, fermions, bosons: the subatomic pharmacology of radiation therapy.
- Article from:
- Science & Medicine
- Article date:
- April 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Science & Medicine. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Modern radiology techniques have achieved widespread use and impressive results in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Yet, the nature of the subatomic particles used in the "rays" in these techniques remains unclear to many clinicians. High-energy photons, including x-rays and [gamma]-rays, are bosons, whereas electrons and positrons, used in PET, are leptons. Less often used are protons and neutrons, which are composed of quarks and classified as hadrons. This article reviews the subatomic world of particle physics and the elementary forces that interact with these particles, and explores how these particles and forces are employed in modern radiologic technologies.
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