Radiotherapy treatment planning with dynamic wedges--an algorithm for generating wedge factors and beam data.

If the jaws of a linear accelerator are moved under computer control during irradiation, dose distributions similar to those with wedge filters can be produced. Varian linear accelerators utilize this effect to give a 'dynamic wedge', using segmented treatment tables (STTs). An algorithm is described to generate the dose per monitor unit at any point in a beam, using the STT values. Dynamically wedged beams are modelled as the superposition of static asymmetric beams, using an algorithm based on beam data measured for symmetric beams. Predictions of wedge factors, depth doses and profiles generated using the algorithm are compared with measurements. Good agreement is found between predictions and measurements. The calculation time is typically 5 ms/dose point on a PC with a 486DX processor.