Historical vignette: The radium bomb: Harvey Cushing and the interstitial irradiation of gliomas.

Abstract

Harvey Cushing performed over 2000 operations on patients with brain tumors, including 832 for gliomas. He implanted radioactive radium needles, known as a "radium bomb," in a small number of these patients. He was not impressed with the results and did not pursue this method of treatment in a serious way. The authors present here Cushing's little-known experience with brachytherapy and discuss the reasons for his lack of interest in this technique, despite his advocacy of radiotherapy for certain lesions. An interesting perspective is offered for contemporary neurosurgeons involved in the treatment of brain tumors with cranial irradiation.