The contribution of the physical sciences to the development of radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is used in the treatment of about half of all cancer patients in the United States. The development of this specialty has been intimately involved with major advances in the physical sciences, from the discovery of x-rays by Roentgen and radium by the Curies, to the technological breakthroughs of World War II that led to the 60cobalt teletherapy unit and the modern linear accelerator--the principal treatment machines in use today. These historical events are described and the principal characters introduced.