Pencil beam scans (Medical physics)
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Ionizing radiation photons or x-rays (IMRT) use pencil beam scanning to precisely target a tumor. Bone scan densitometry uses a fan scan system that replaces a pencil beam system.[1] Radiation treatment planning has pencil beam scanning as one of its modalities. mean free path is involved in IMRT planning. Also used in Monte Carlo method for photon transport. Another three sources are: Hybrid theory for photon transport in tissue which is a combination of Diffusion theory and the Monte Carlo method all using, in part, pencil beam scanning. Photon pencil beam scans are defined as crossing of two beams to a fine point.
Several charged particles devices used with Proton therapy cancer centers use pencil beam scanning.[2] The newer proton therapy machines use a pencil beam scanning technology.[3] This technique is also called spot scanning.[4] The Paul Scherrer Institute was the developer of spot beam.[5]