Five-year results of betatron x-ray therapy.

Abstract

From March, 1949, until May, 1953, 114 patients suffering from advanced malignant disease were treated on the betatron at the University of Saskatchewan, using X rays of an energy of 22 or 23 MeV. This paper is written in an attempt to evaluate the late results of this treatment, from a purely curative point of view, rather than taking into account temporary palliation achieved, since consideration of the latter is unlikely to be purely objective. The betatron at the University of Saskatchewan is situated in a special building behind the Physics Department and details of the housing may be found elsewhere (Harrington, Haslam, Johns and Katz, 1949). The instrument produces X rays through a fixed horizontal field and, by the insertion of lead moulds, fields of any size from 0 to 15 × 15 cm at 105 cm F.S.D. can be provided (Johns, Darby, Watson and Burkell, 1950). By means of a special filter the beam is flattened so that, by a combination of fields, a very homogeneous distribution of radiation can be obtain...