What imaging technology, adopted in the 1970s and 1980s, enabled doctors to shape radiation beams to fit the exact three-dimensional contours of a tumor?
Answer
Computer tomography (CT)
The advent of computer tomography (CT) in the 1970s and 1980s marked a transformation in radiation oncology. Before this, doctors relied on two-dimensional X-ray films and had to estimate tumor positions based on skeletal landmarks, which was often imprecise. CT technology allowed for the visualization of tumors in three dimensions, facilitating the precise shaping of radiation beams to match the tumor's contours, thereby sparing critical healthy organs such as the heart, lungs, and spinal cord.
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