title: The role of Cobalt-60 in modern radiation therapy: Dose delivery and image guidance.
abstract: The advances in modern radiation therapy with techniques such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy (IMRT and IGRT) have been limited almost exclusively to linear accelerators. Investigations of modern Cobalt-60 (Co-60) radiation delivery in the context of IMRT and IGRT have been very sparse, and have been limited mainly to computer-modeling and treatment-planning exercises. In this paper, we report on the results of experiments using a tomotherapy benchtop apparatus attached to a conventional Co-60 unit. We show that conformal dose delivery is possible and also that Co-60 can be used as the radiation source in megavoltage computed tomography imaging. These results complement our modeling studies of Co-60 tomotherapy and provide a strong motivation for continuing development of modern Cobalt-60 treatment devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario (CCSEO), Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: L John
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Schreiner
authors.forename: Chandra P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Johnson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Darko
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salomons
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhanesar