Oncology

Pioneers of radiotherapy

Looking back on a shared history

10min
Ingo Zenger
Published on April 1, 2023

In 2021, Siemens Healthineers and Varian combined to form a single company. But, the shared history that has united these teams with impressive legacies extends back much further. In the mid-20th century, both were engaged in research into the best possible radiotherapy technology for cancer treatment. This work pointed to the linear accelerator as the technology that would pave the way for further development. In 1969, Varian and Siemens embarked on a collaboration that would develop into a strategic partnership and ultimately led to a combination of the two companies under the umbrella of Siemens Healthineers in April 2021.

The early days of radiotherapy at Siemens Healthineers

Betatron beim ICR 1950 mit Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, examines the Siemens Betatron at the International Congress of Radiology in London in 1950

Siemens Healthineers Gammatron S65 1972

Cobalt therapy device Gammatron S65, 1972

Varian: A radiotherapy pioneer

Russell und Sigurd Varian mit Klystron

Russell (below) and Sigurd Varian next to their first major invention, the klystron tube

Das Gründungsteam von Varian Associates, von links: Russell und Sigurd Varian, Marvin Chodorow, Dorothy Varian, Richard Leonard, Esther Salisbury, Edward Ginzton, Fred Salisbury, Don Snow, und Myrl Stearns.

The founding team of Varian Associates (from left): Russell and Sigurd Varian, Marvin Chodorow, Dorothy Varian, Richard Leonard, Esther Salisbury, Edward Ginzton, Fred Salisbury, Don Snow, and Myrl Stearns

The invention of modern radiotherapy

Varian Clinac 6

The first step on a shared journey 

Anfang des neuen Jahrtausends stellt Varian die Dynamic Targeting™ Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) vor. Bei der bildgesteuerte Strahlentherapie ist der Linearbeschleuniger mit einem Röntgen-System kombiniert.

Early in the new millennium, Varian presented Dynamic Targeting™ image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). To accomplish IGRT, the linear accelerator was combined with an on-board imager

From strategic partnership to combined company

Siemens Heatlhineers Halcyon

A shared future

One manifestation of the strengths that come with the combination of Siemens Healthineers and Varian is HyperSight™, an innovative imaging solution and feature for radiation therapy systems like Halcyon.


Ingo Zenger
Ingo Zenger
By Ingo Zenger

Technology journalist and author at the Siemens Healthineers Historical Institute