The History of Radiology and Radiotherapy

This interactive timeline takes you through some of the major developments and advances in radiotherapy since it's first documented use in 1896, with an additional section dedicated to its future applications and untapped potential.

Radiotherapy generally refers to the treatment of cancer using high dose radiation in attempt to destroy the harmful cells without damaging healthy surrounding tissue, however it is also sometimes used to treat benign (non-cancerous) tumours and other conditions, such as thyroid disease and some blood disorders.

A vital step required before treatment is the identification and diagnosis of the condition, a common way of doing this is radiology, the application of radiation, and in more modern times electromagnetic fields to produce images of the inside of the body. The radiology page will provide an overview of many common techniques and their development over the years.