The SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) beamline has been designed by Sincrotrone Trieste, in cooperation with the University of Trieste and the INFN, for research in medical diagnostic radiology. The use of monochromatic and laminar-shaped beams allows, in principle, an improvement of the clinical quality of images and a reduction of adsorbed dose because of both monochromaticity and scatter reduction. Moreover, the spatial coherence of the SYRMEP source (one of the Elettra bending magnets) is used to overcome the poor absorption contrast of many biological samples, by the use of phase-contrast techniques.
At the beamlime a large number of different microtomography experiments can be performed also in the field of material science, geology, volcanology, cultural heritage, biomedical imaging work in monochromatic or in white-beam configuration.