Fast convolution‐superposition dose calculation on graphics hardware

The numerical calculation of dose is central to treatment planning in radiation therapy and is at the core of optimization strategies for modern delivery techniques. In a clinical environment, dose calculation algorithms are required to be accurate and fast. The accuracy is typically achieved through the integration of patient‐specific data and extensive beam modeling, which generally results in slower algorithms. In order to alleviate execution speed problems, the authors have implemented a modern dose calculation algorithm on a massively parallel hardware architecture. More specifically, they have implemented a convolution‐superposition photon beam dose calculation algorithm on a commodity graphics processing unit (GPU). They have investigated a simple porting scenario as well as slightly more complex GPU optimization strategies. They have achieved speed improvement factors ranging from 10 to 20 times with GPU implementations compared to central processing unit (CPU) implementations, with higher values corresponding to larger kernel and calculation grid sizes. In all cases, they preserved the numerical accuracy of the GPU calculations with respect to the CPU calculations. These results show that streaming architectures such as GPUs can significantly accelerate dose calculation algorithms and let envision benefits for numerically intensive processes such as optimizing strategies, in particular, for complex delivery techniques such as IMRT and arc therapy.