Precise positioning of intracranial small tumors to the linear accelerator's isocenter, using a stereotactic radiotherapy computed tomography system (SRT-CT)

Radiother Oncol. 1994 Aug;32(2):180-3. doi: 10.1016/0167-8140(94)90105-8.

Abstract

RT-CT was developed as a simulator using CT scan for radiotherapy. Following three-dimensional treatment planning using CT images, the treatment center and treatment fields are projected to the patients' surface by laser beam on the C arm. The prototype had an accuracy of 3 mm which was equivalent to conventional X-ray simulators but was not adequate for use in stereotactic radiotherapy. A new RT-CT system was developed to have a precise localization capability for stereotactic radiotherapy. Using this stereotactic RT-CT (SRT-CT) after three-dimensional planning, the treatment center is projected to the stereotactic frame automatically. In this study, the values of the x, y and z coordinates of the target center determined by SRT-CT are compared with those determined by the traditional method using CT localizing plates. The discrepancies were within 1.0 mm in 90% and 1.5 mm in 100% of 30 measurements in 16 patients. The disadvantages of SRT-CT may be that the accuracy of localization depends on the quality of calibration of laser beams. The traditional CT localizing method has superiority over SRT-CT because of its solid coordinates but its accuracy is vulnerable to alignment of CT fiducial marker plates. Therefore, the SRT-CT and traditional CT localizing methods would be complementary to each other for precise localization.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Brain Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Calibration
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Lasers
  • Models, Structural
  • Particle Accelerators
  • Patient Care Planning
  • Radiosurgery* / instrumentation
  • Radiosurgery* / methods*
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted
  • Radiotherapy, High-Energy / instrumentation
  • Radiotherapy, High-Energy / methods
  • Stereotaxic Techniques* / instrumentation
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*