A computational method for dose verification of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans using a scaled point-dose technique

Abstract

Verification of delivered monitor units versus prescribed dose is necessary in the field of clinical medical physics in order to ensure proper dose delivery to a patient. A simple point-dose verification technique for standard three-dimensional conformal treatment plans has been used successfully in the industry for a number of wars, however, this method rails to properly predict volume doses as prescribed in new Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) treatment plans. Several physical methods may be used in volume dose verification procedures. however- time and monetary constraints make many such methods unreasonable in practice. Therefore- a computational method for volume dose verification is proposed utilizing a "transmission scaling factor' and common spreadsheet software.