ABSTRACT
The effects of ionising radiation on living systems have been recorded almost in parallel with the early discoveries and developments on ionising radiation. Thus, it has been reported that only 1 year after the discovery by Wilhelm Röntgen, X-rays were used for the treatment of a hairy mole in Vienna. Similarly, a forgotten radium container in the vest pocket of Henri Becquerel led to the appearance of a skin erythema whose evolution was carefully recorded afterward. The following years saw increased use of ionising radiation for therapeutic purposes and this was associated with observations on tissue response and reactions. These observations eventually led to the development of the field of radiation biology dedicated to the systematic study of the relationship between quantity of ionising radiation and biological effects, as well as the exploration of the underlying mechanisms. Developments in radiation biology have been helped on one side from developments in methods to quantify the amount of ionising radiation and on the other side from the development of methods and systems to investigate the biological effects of ionising radiation.
