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The History of Radiation Therapy

By AS2021980

  • Discovery of X-Rays

    Discovery of X-Rays
    Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen reported the discovery of X-rays in 1895 after seven weeks of assiduous work during which he had studied the properties of this new type of radiation able to go through screens of notable thickness. He named them X-rays to underline the fact that their nature was unknown.

  • Discovery of Radium

    Discovery of Radium
    In 1898, the Curies discovered the existence of the elements radium and polonium in their research of pitchblende. One year after isolating radium, they would share the 1903 Nobel Prize in physics with French scientist A. Henri Becquerel for their groundbreaking investigations of radioactivity.

  • Begin of Radiation Oncology

    Begin of Radiation Oncology
    Radiation therapy is used for the first time to treat cancer patients, marking the beginning of modern radiation oncology.

  • First Radiation Therapy Treatment

    First Radiation Therapy Treatment
    First successful treatment of a patient with radiation therapy for cancer at the Curie Institute in Paris.

  • The First Linear Accelerator

    The First Linear Accelerator
    The first linear accelerator is developed for use in radiation therapy, providing more precise and effective treatment.

  • Cobalt-60 Machines

    Cobalt-60 Machines
    The invention of the cobalt-60 teletherapy unit by H.E. Johns in Canada in the early 1950s provided a tremendous boost in the quest for higher photon energies, and placed the cobalt unit into the forefront of radiotherapy for a number of years.

  • Computer-Assisted Tomography (CT)

    Computer-Assisted Tomography (CT)
    Development of computer-assisted tomography (CT) for treatment planning, allowing for greater accuracy in targeting tumors.

  • Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

    Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
    Introduction of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), a more advanced form of radiation therapy that allows for precise adjustment of radiation dose.

  • Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)

    Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
    Adoption of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for even more precise and targeted treatment of tumors.

  • Modern Radiation Therapy

    Modern Radiation Therapy
    Advancements in radiation therapy continue, including proton therapy and immunotherapy, improving outcomes for cancer patients.