From X-Rays to Ion Beams: A Short History of Radiation Therapy

Abstract

Radiation therapy (RT) developed in several eras. Patients’ needs for more effective treatment guided the efforts. The development of ion beam therapy (IBT) can be seen as a corollary in this continuous endeavor to optimize disease control while minimizing normal-tissue damage. It could not have materialized, however, without the curiosity, ingenuity, and perseverance of researchers, engineers, and clinicians who developed important enabling technologies.