Computed tomography applied to radiotherapy treatment planning: techniques and results

In order to assess the role of computed tomography (CT) in radiotherapy treatment planning, tumors were localized by conventional techniques and with CT using an EMI CT5005 scanner. CT scans were obtained under conditions simulating radiotherapy. A comparison between the two localizations was made, and detailed results are given. Forty-seven of 123 patients had their treatment plan altered, implying that, provided information is obtained and used correctly, CT can play a significant role in radiotherapy treatment planning.