Applying graphics processor units to Monte Carlo dose calculation in radiation therapy.
We investigate the potential in using of using a graphics processor unit (GPU) for Monte-Carlo (MC)-based radiation dose calculations. The percent depth dose (PDD) of photons in a medium with known absorption and scattering coefficients is computed using a MC simulation running on both a standard CPU and a GPU. We demonstrate that the GPU's capability for massive parallel processing provides a significant acceleration in the MC calculation, and offers a significant advantage for distributed stochastic simulations on a single computer. Harnessing this potential of GPUs will help in the early adoption of MC for routine planning in a clinical environment.
Bakhtiari
M
M
Department of Radiation Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA.
Malhotra
H
H
Jones
M D
MD
Chaudhary
V
V
Walters
J P
JP
Nazareth
D
D