Refinements of the finite‐size pencil beam model of three‐dimensional photon dose calculation

Modern three-dimensional (3-D) photon dose calculation algorithms need to be fast and accurate if they are to be practical for treatment optimization. Refinements to a previously proposed finite-size pencil beam (FSPB) method are presented in order to fulfill these needs. Specifically, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) convolution technique is used to speed calculation of the FSPB; the fluence spectrum is modeled, and the effects of finite source …