Gamma Therapy

Curie therapy, the complex of radiation therapy methods (used mainly for malignant tumors) in which gamma radiation of radioactive isotopes and other sources is used. The biological effect of radiation is a function of the quantity of emitted energy absorbed (the dose). Dose distribution in the patient’s body depends upon gamma-radiation energy, beam geometry, and the radiation method used. High energy gamma radiation reaches deeply located tumors with considerably greater doses (a maximum energy of 250,000 electron volts) than does X-ray radiation, while simultaneously leaving superficial organs and tissues unaffected.