Theodore George Balbus, 83, a Philadelphia-area radiologist for more then 30 years, died June 13 at home in Elkins Park after a two-year battle with prostate cancer.

Dr. Balbus was among the first generation of clinical practitioners of atomic medicine and therapeutic radiology. Starting in the mid-1950s, he applied what were then emerging radiation technologies to advance the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1926, Dr. Balbus grew up in Queens and graduated in January 1943 from Stuyvesant High School, where he directed the Arista scholarship and service honor society.

Dr. Balbus attended Columbia University on a Regent's Scholarship and graduated in 1946. He earned his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College in 1950 and returned to New York for postgraduate training in pathology at Queens General Hospital.

He completed his radiology residency at Temple University Hospital in 1955, then entered the U.S. Navy, serving as a Naval Medical Corps radiologist at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Md., and at the Alameda Naval Air Station Hospital in Oakland, Calif.

He was honorably discharged in 1957 at the rank of second lieutenant, according to his family.

In 1957, Dr. Balbus returned to Philadelphia and joined the medical staff of Episcopal Hospital. For 20 years, he was chief of the radiology department at Rolling Hill Hospital in Elkins Park, where he was founder and director of its radiology-technician training school.

From 1987 to 1991, Dr. Balbus maintained a private radiology practice in Northeast Philadelphia. He served on the Frankford Hospital staff from 1991 to 1995. He retired in 1995.

Dr. Balbus enjoyed duplicate bridge, reading Jewish history, collecting stamps, and watching Jeopardy! - he knew most of the answers.

"My dad was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge," said his son Peter.

Dr. Balbus was a lay rabbi at Congregation Rodeph Shalom, formerly in Elkins Park, now in Philadelphia.

He lived for many years in Jenkintown. His first marriage, to the former Rita Susan Frucht, ended in divorce. In 1981, he married the former Nancy Tavel, and the couple moved to Elkins Park.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Balbus is survived by sons Steven, Peter, and John; stepdaughters Connie Tavel, Joan Reznik, and Judith Epstein; a brother; six grandchildren; and five step-grandchildren.

A private memorial service was held June 16 at his residence.

Contact staff writer Bonnie L. Cook at 215-854-2913 or bcook@phillynews.com.