Radium and radiotherapy
Radiactividad y radioterapia con radio
- Date
- 1898-1903 · confidence high
- Place
- Paris, France
- Credited to
- Marie and Pierre Curie, Henri Becquerel; Danlos and Bloch (brachytherapy, 1901)
- People
- 👤 Felix Bloch1905–1983👤 Henri-Alexandre Danlos1844–1912👤 Henri Becquerel1852–1908👤 Marie Curie1867–1934👤 Pierre Curie1859–1906
- Field
- Life & health
What was discovered
After radium was isolated, its emissions were found to destroy tumour tissue. It initiated oncological radiotherapy and, with Marie Curie, mobile wartime radiology.
What it led to
- radiotherapy and radiation oncology
- nuclear medicine and tracer isotopes
- radiation protection following harm to early users
Built on
- X-rays1895
- Becquerel's uranium
Made possible
- Positron emission tomography (PET)1975
- brachytherapy
- cobalt-60 teletherapy unit