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Pencil beam scanning is the practice of steering a beam of radiation or charged particles across an object. It is often used in proton therapy, to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure to surrounding non-cancerous cells.
Ionizing radiation photons or x-rays (IMRT) use pencil beam scanning to precisely target a tumor.[1] 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]
Varian's IMPT system uses all pencil-beam controlled protons where the beam intensity can also be controlled at this small level. This can be done by going back and forth over a previously radiated area during the same radiation session.
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