Particle Accelerator Advances Drive Progress in Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Devices

A scientific event titled "Radiation at the Right Dose Serves Health" was held at the Özgen Berkol Doğan Science Fiction Library, organized in collaboration between İstinye University's Science and Technology Communication Coordination Office and the YÖK Science Communication Office. The event, which examined in depth the use of radiation in healthcare and recent scientific developments in this field, represented an important step in developing public health literacy.

The scientific event titled "Radiation at the Right Dose Serves Health," organized in collaboration between İstinye University's Science and Technology Communication Coordination Office and the YÖK Science Communication Office, was held at the Özgen Berkol Doğan Science Fiction Library with the support of the Fayda Science Foundation and sponsorship by Liv Hospital. At the event, the role of radiation in medical applications and the contribution of particle physics to health technologies were examined through an interdisciplinary approach. The program, implemented with the participation of expert academics in the field, brought current approaches regarding the use of radiation in diagnostic and treatment processes to public attention. Organized under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Serkant Ali Çetin, Head of the Department of Basic Sciences at İstinye University and Science and Technology Communication Coordinator, the event featured presentations by Prof. Dr. Merdan Fayda, Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology, and Prof. Dr. Taylan Yetkin, Faculty Member of the Department of Basic Sciences, in their respective areas of expertise.

"When you smoke, you are exposed to radiation"
In the first session of the event, the main applications of radiation in modern medicine and potential risks were evaluated. Prof. Dr. Merdan Fayda, Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology, shared his expertise and experience in radiation treatments with participants. In addition to early diagnostic methods such as mammography and lung screening, current information was provided on radiotherapy and brachytherapy techniques applied with high-energy X-rays. Dose control, patient safety, and the impact of technological developments on these processes were addressed within a scientific framework. Prof. Dr. Merdan Fayda emphasized the critical importance of radiation treatment in treatment processes with the following words:

"When you smoke, you are exposed to radiation. If you smoke two packs a day, you receive the dose equivalent to 80 chest X-rays per year. When you light a cigarette, you are creating polonium. Your mucosa is exposed to radiation. Radiation exists in our daily lives too. There is radiation even in the insulation materials we use around us. We are exposed to some radiation at home as well. But there are points where correctly structured radiation works. For example, tumors disappear with radiation. Cancer disappears. When applied correctly at the right dose, radiation can be very beneficial to people. Over the years, medical imaging has advanced greatly. We can see where we can perform radiotherapy. Treatment planning has opened up. With MR, tissues can be seen much more easily."

"With PET and similar devices, we can obtain information about the body"
In the second session, the focus was on how particle physics creates a transformative impact in the field of medicine within the framework of basic sciences. The emergence of advanced diagnostic devices such as PET/CT and MR along with the development of particle accelerator technologies, and the use of precise treatment methods such as proton/ion therapies were discussed. Additionally, current research on new technologies such as FLASH radiotherapy and Boron-Neutron Capture Therapy were shared. Prof. Dr. Taylan Yetkin, Faculty Member of the Department of Basic Sciences at İstinye University, stated the following:

"With PET and similar devices, we can obtain information about the body. To eliminate a tumor, you send proton or electron therapy. You eliminate it. One is for imaging purposes, one is for elimination purposes. Patients are brought to the imaging room one hour after being given a radioactive compound in a sugar-derived liquid that cancer cells would intensely want to capture. In this sugar liquid, there is a substance that emits the antiparticle of an electron. When those antiparticles meet electrons in tumor tissue, that area emits radiation. When you collect these radiations with particle detectors and combine them using computer software, you create three-dimensional image information. In this sense, it is a device that can create an image of the entire body. These are actually applications of technologies we produced to understand nature to medical physics."

An important step in conveying scientific knowledge to society
The event not only provided participants with direct access to scientific content but also served as a notable example of effectively sharing this information with the public. The interdisciplinary structure, communication-focused moderation conducted by Dr. Özgenur Reyhan Güler, and audience interaction strengthened sessions that provided a platform supporting the transformation of academic knowledge into social benefit. The event, which aimed to create scientific and public awareness regarding aspects of radiation intersecting with health, was followed with interest by participants. The event, which examined in depth the use of radiation in healthcare and recent scientific developments in this field, represented an important step in developing public health literacy.