Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide processes for applying deterministic radiation transport solution methods for calculating doses and predicting scatter in radiotherapy and imaging applications. One method embodiment of the present invention is a process for using deterministic methods to calculate dose distributions resulting from radiotherapy treatments, diagnostic imaging, or industrial sterilization, and for calculating image scatter for the purposes of image reconstruction. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a means for transport of external radiation sources through field-shaping devices. In another embodiment of the present invention, a method includes a process for calculating the dose response at selected points and volumes prior to radiotherapy treatment planning.

Abstract: Method and system that allows patient dose response functions to be calculated, prior to treatment planning, for external photon beam radiotherapy. In one embodiment, for each location where a separate dose value is desired, referred to as a dose region, adjoint calculations are performed to calculate the adjoint solution fields associated with that dose region. Once potential beam directions are specified, a ray tracing process is performed to transport the adjoint solution fields out of the patient and to locations where treatment plan parameters may be specified. The output of this process is the dose response at each dose region resulting from a prescribed photon fluence, at a given location, direction, and energy.

Abstract: One method embodiment of the present invention is a process for using deterministic methods to calculate dose distributions resulting from radiotherapy treatments, diagnostic imaging, or industrial sterilization, and for calculating scatter corrections used for image reconstruction. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method provides a means for constructing a deterministic computational grid from an acquired 3-D image representation, transport of an external radiation source through field shaping devices and into the computational grid, calculation of the radiation scatter and/or delivered dose in the computational grid, and subsequent transport of the scattered radiation to detectors external to the computational grid.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for deterministic calculation of radiation doses, delivered to specified volumes within human tissues and organs, and specified areas within other organisms, by external and internal radiation sources. Embodiments of the present invention provide for creating and optimizing computational mesh structures for deterministic radiation transport methods. In general these approaches seek to both improve solution accuracy and computational efficiency. Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for planning radiation treatments using deterministic methods.

Abstract: A method of cooling a heat source, such as an integrated circuit device, includes the following steps (1) providing a base having a plurality of elongated fins on a first side thereof and a mating surface on a second side thereof, with the plurality of elongated fins defining a plurality of channels, (2) positioning the mating surface of the base in contact with the integrated circuit device, (3) advancing a first flow of fluid onto a top surface of each of the plurality of fins so as to form a quantity of spent fluid which continues to be advanced into the plurality of channels, and (4) advancing a second flow of fluid into the plurality of channels so as to exhaust the quantity of spent fluid from the plurality of channels. An apparatus for cooling a heat source is also disclosed.