Radiation therapy administered with the source at a distance from the body. Cf.:interstitial therapy. SYN: teleroentgentherapy. [G. tele, distant, + therapeia, treatment]
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tele·ther·a·py .tel-ə-'ther-ə-pē n, pl -pies the treatment of diseased tissue with high-intensity radiation (as gamma rays from radioactive cobalt)
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n.
a form of radiotherapy in which penetrating radiation is directed at a patient from a distance. Originally radium was used as the radiation source; today artificial radioactive isotopes, such as cobalt-60, are used. See linear accelerator.
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tele·ther·a·py (tel″ə-therґə-pe) [tele- + therapy] treatment in which the source of the therapeutic agent is at a distance from the body, as in external beam radiotherapy; cf. brachytherapy.Medical dictionary. 2011.