Monte carlo dose calculations for proton therapy

PROTON THERAPY IS AN advanced form of radiation therapy. Because of the unique physics of proton beam interaction with matters, proton therapy can achieve higher dose conformality compared to conventional photon-based radiation therapy. However, because of the sharper dose falloff, proton therapy is more susceptible to uncertainties. For instance, a small shift of proton range due to dose calculation in the treatment planning stage can result in a significant underdosage of the tumor and/or overdosage to the critical structures nearby. Hence, an accurate and efficient dose calculation method is of vital importance for the success of a treatment [1].