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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Maria Aspradakis
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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.
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
