  This paper describes the algorithm and examines the performance of an IMRT
beam-angle optimization (BAO) system. In this algorithm successive sets of beam
angles are selected from a set of predefined directions using a fast simulated
annealing (FSA) algorithm. An IMRT beam-profile optimization is performed on
each generated set of beams. The IMRT optimization is accelerated by using a
fast dose calculation method that utilizes a precomputed dose kernel. A compact
kernel is constructed for each of the predefined beams prior to starting the
FSA algorithm. The IMRT optimizations during the BAO are then performed using
these kernels in a fast dose calculation engine. This technique allows the IMRT
optimization to be performed more than two orders of magnitude faster than a
similar optimization that uses a convolution dose calculation engine.
