What radical strategy did Henri Coutard introduce in the 1920s to prevent damage to healthy tissues during radiation therapy?
Answer
Fractionation
Henri Coutard introduced the concept of fractionation, which involves dividing the total prescribed radiation dose into smaller, daily fractions administered over a period of weeks. This approach allows healthy surrounding tissues time to repair and recover between sessions, whereas malignant cells, which often lack the efficient repair mechanisms of healthy cells, accumulate irreversible damage over the course of the treatment. This methodology transformed radiotherapy from a reactive, unpredictable procedure into a managed and scientifically structured strategy.
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