ABSTRACT
Since cyclotrons and synchrotrons have been the first type of machines to accelerate particles to several megaelectron volts, these were also the first to treat patients with cancer by means of a beam of energetically charged ions. The first particle therapy facility in a hospital used a specially developed synchrotron to accelerate protons. This chapter discusses the major characteristics and recent developments in the fields of cyclotrons and synchrotrons. This is followed by a description of the most important beam handling operations in the beam transport system to prepare the beam extracted from the accelerator for therapy. The cyclotron and synchrotron have remained the two types of accelerators currently utilised in particle therapy. Treatments with this first SC gantry in particle therapy were started in May 2017.
