Basic physics and biology of radiation therapy.

The therapeutic use of ionizing radiation followed shortly after the discovery of X-rays by Roentgen in 1895. The radiobiological principles that underlie the clinical use of ionizing radiation have been ablated slowly over the past century. Ionizing radiation, which is used therapeutically for benign and malignant conditions, is characterized by the localized release of large amounts of energy. These radiations may be electromagnetic (X- or gamma rays) or particulate (electrons, protons, alpha particles, neutrons, etc.). In this paper we will review some basic radiation physics and radiation biology principles which might be unfamiliar to the interventional cardiologist interested in this evolving application of radiation to prevent restenosis.