The Monochromatic Compton X-ray Source for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy

The Compton X-ray source (CXS) is based on Compton backscattering of a high peak power (TW), short pulse (~200 fs) laser beam off energetic electrons (20-80 MeV) produced by an 11.424 GHz photoinjector/linear accelerator. Monochromatic X-rays tunable between 15 and 80 keV result from the Compton scattering process. The compact CXS is much smaller than storage ring synchrotron light sources and fits in a single room and thus holds great potential in clinical applications. Biomedical studies are under way to explore the superiority of the CXS in early cancer detection and better diagnostics by monochromatic imaging, and the novel x-ray phototherapy[1] that marries radiation therapy with nano-scale cancer targeting.