Has CT scanning a role to play in radiotherapy planning? Computer dose calculations

Abstract

Successful radiotherapy practice depends on the irradiation of tumors such that their destruction follows without unacceptable damage to the surrounding normal tissues. In order to assess the place of computed tomography (CT) in radiotherapy planning, the tumor target volumes were localized by conventional techniques and with CT scanning under conditions simulating the radiotherapy. Consecutive patients (187) with various malignancies were examined. CT scanning was valuable in the assessment of the radiation dose calculations in 39% of the treatment series (pelvic tumors 31%, chest wall tumors 22%, intrathoracic tumors 58%, palliative treatment group 46%).