Superconductors for Medical Applications

Abstract

Superconductivity plays a vital role in advanced medical diagnostic as well as in treatment of cancer. Smaller sized superconducting cyclotrons are developing as efficient techniques with carbon ions and protons for external beam therapy. This equipment further gives benefits of less cost and due to smaller size it is far easier to handle. Nowadays, superconductivity has been used commercially in numerous applications in medical sciences including low-temperature superconducting (LTS) materials and high field magnets in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic gene transfer, magnetic drug delivery system and cancer and internal hemorrhages detection. Almost all commercial medical systems based on superconductivity use LTS and the majority uses NbTi wires or superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) made of LTS material.

Phase Stability of Lead Phosphate Apatite Pb10–xCux(PO4)6O, Pb10–xCux(PO4)6(OH)2 (x = 0, 1), and Pb8Cu2(PO4)6

“…Superconductors exhibit zero electrical resistance when under specific conditions and this unique feature opens the door to a wide array of technological advancements that have the potential to address some of the most pressing challenges in energy, transportation, medicine, and beyond. The first superconductor was mercury with a T c of 4.19 K found by Onnes in 1911 .…”