Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is the use of ionizing radiation such as X-rays and radioactive radiation sources for therapeutic purposes, e.g. irradiation of malignant tumours.

During radiotherapy, the body can be exposed to considerable radiation, which can lead to radiation damage. Radiotherapy refers to the irradiation of body tissue with cell-damaging radiation as a therapeutic measure. Radiotherapy is an established procedure for the treatment of malignant tumors in the head and neck area. The effect of radiotherapy on dental hard tissue, which leads to radiogenic caries, has been known for a long time. After completion of radiotherapy (possibly in combination with chemotherapy) in the head area, so-called radiation car ies can be observed in most patients.