ABSTRACT
I. History of X-Ray Therapy 470
II. Physics 471
III. Biological Effects 472
IV. Grenz-Ray Therapy of Hand Eczema 472
A. Radiation Technique 474
B. Side Effects 474
C. Radiation Protection 475
V. Superficial X-Ray Therapy of Hand Eczema 475
A. Radiation Technique 474
B. Side Effects 474
References 476
I. HISTORY OF X-RAY THERAPY
Dermatologists have successfully used X-ray therapy for the treatment of benign and malignant skin disorders since 1899.1 The reason for the early use of X-ray therapy in dermatology was that the effect of ionizing radiation on the skin quickly became apparent. Radiation-induced dermatitis, epilation, and pigmentation led to recognition of the biological effects of the X-rays. Treatment with soft X-rays for benign inflammatory skin diseases became available in 1923, when Gustav Bucky succeeded in devising an apparatus that produced ultrasoft X-rays. Today, dermatologic X-ray therapy can be divided into two main groups: grenz-ray therapy and superficial X-ray therapy (Table 30.1).
