Stereotactic target point verification of an X ray and CT localizer

Stereotactic radiosurgery with a linear accelerator requires the accurate determination of a target volume and an accurate match of the therapeutic radiation dose distribution to the target volume. X ray and CT localizers have been described that are used to define the target volume or target point from angiographic or CT data. To verify the accuracy of these localizers, measurements were made with a target point simulator and an anthropomorphic head phantom. The accuracy of determining a known, high contrast, target point with these localizers was found to be a maximum of +/- 0.5 mm and +/- 1.0 mm for the X ray and CT localizer, respectively. A technique using portal X rays taken with a linear accelerator to verify the target point is also described.