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Dose calculations for external photon beams in radiotherapy

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Maria Aspradakis

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Abstract

Dose calculation methods for photon beams are reviewed in the context of radiation therapy treatment planning. Following introductory summaries on photon beam characteristics and clinical requirements on dose calculations, calculation methods are described in order of increasing explicitness of particle transport. The simplest are dose ratio factorizations limited to point dose estimates useful for checking other more general, but also more complex, approaches. Some methods incorporate detailed modelling of scatter dose through differentiation of measured data combined with various integration techniques. State-of-the-art methods based on point or pencil kernels, which are derived through Monte Carlo simulations, to characterize secondary particle transport are presented in some detail. Explicit particle transport methods, such as Monte Carlo, are briefly summarized. The extensive literature on beam characterization and handling of treatment head scatter is reviewed in the context of providing phase space data for kernel based and/or direct Monte Carlo dose calculations. Finally, a brief overview of inverse methods for optimization and dose reconstruction is provided.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Ahnesjo A, Aspradakis MM

Publication type: Review

Publication status: Published

Journal: Physics in Medicine and Biology

Year: 1999

Volume: 44

Issue: 11

Pages: R99-R155

Print publication date: 01/11/1999

ISSN (print): 0031-9155

ISSN (electronic): 1361-6560


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