Effects of Radiation Therapy
CHAPTER 2
Review of Related Literature The review of related literature in this chapter is composed of principles and discussions of facts about the side effects of radiation therapy to the cancer patients. The chapter begins with a brief history about radiology as a medical science, and radiation therapy as a form of medical treatment of diseases. Lastly it enumerates the side effects of radiation therapy and the risks associated with it.
Brief History and Definitions of Radiology as a Medical Science
In 1895 Roentgen began experiments at the University of Würzburg with an electric current flow in a partially evacuated glass tube known as a cathode-ray tube. He noticed that, whenever the tube was in operation, a piece of barium platino cyanide in line with it gave off light. According to Roentgen “the interaction of electrons striking the tube's glass wall formed an unknown radiation that caused the fluorescence”. He called the mysterious phenomenon X radiation, or X rays. Further experiments revealed that X radiation produces an image on photographic plates and penetrates many materials such as paper, wood, certain metals, and living tissue. For the first time physicians had a nonsurgical tool to see inside the body. (Source: http://www.northhertsradiologygroup.co.uk/history.html)
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. It is the performance of medical procedures with the guidance of imaging technologies. According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary, “Radiology is the science of high energy radiation and of the sources and the chemical, physical and biologic effects of such radiation” The acquisition of medical imaging is usually carried out by the radiographer or radiologic technologist. Radiographers are responsible for using complex and highly sophisticated equipment such as X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine, positron
Review of Related Literature The review of related literature in this chapter is composed of principles and discussions of facts about the side effects of radiation therapy to the cancer patients. The chapter begins with a brief history about radiology as a medical science, and radiation therapy as a form of medical treatment of diseases. Lastly it enumerates the side effects of radiation therapy and the risks associated with it.
Brief History and Definitions of Radiology as a Medical Science
In 1895 Roentgen began experiments at the University of Würzburg with an electric current flow in a partially evacuated glass tube known as a cathode-ray tube. He noticed that, whenever the tube was in operation, a piece of barium platino cyanide in line with it gave off light. According to Roentgen “the interaction of electrons striking the tube's glass wall formed an unknown radiation that caused the fluorescence”. He called the mysterious phenomenon X radiation, or X rays. Further experiments revealed that X radiation produces an image on photographic plates and penetrates many materials such as paper, wood, certain metals, and living tissue. For the first time physicians had a nonsurgical tool to see inside the body. (Source: http://www.northhertsradiologygroup.co.uk/history.html)
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. It is the performance of medical procedures with the guidance of imaging technologies. According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary, “Radiology is the science of high energy radiation and of the sources and the chemical, physical and biologic effects of such radiation” The acquisition of medical imaging is usually carried out by the radiographer or radiologic technologist. Radiographers are responsible for using complex and highly sophisticated equipment such as X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine, positron