Ion particles accelerated in a cyclotron are diverted by a magnetic field to a circular course until a desired energy is reached. The ion beam resulting from this procedure is e.g. used for the production of radionuclides.

See also Ion, Cyclotron.

The attenuation of radiation is a decrease in intensity as a result of interactions by transmission through matter. X-ray beams attenuate due to photon absorption by the material or scattering. Both effects are energy dependent. The probability of absorption or scattering is a function of the photon energy. The photoelectric absorption is much more energy dependent than the Compton scatter effect.

See also Attenuation Correction, Linear Energy Transfer, Broad Beam and Ion Beam.

A stream of electromagnetic or particulate radiation that could be collimated and is generally unidirectional or divergent usually from a small source and restricted to a small-solid angle.

See also Ion Beam, Broad Beam, Useful Beam and Beam On Time.

A distributed source is a one dimensional area or volume source compared to the dimensions of the detector and which may produce a radiation beam over a wide range of angles of incidence on the measurement area.

The isocenter in x-ray imaging is the space through which the central ray of the radiation beams passes.
The CT isocenter is defined by intersection of the gantry axis of rotation. In case of a cylindrical CT type, the isocenter is at the center of the gantry bore.
In radiation oncology the isocenter is defined by the beam centerline of a medical accelerator or cobalt unit. Typically, the isocenter is located 1 m from the radiation source.