Main description:

The Monte Carlo (MC) method, established as the gold standard to predict results of physical processes, is now fast becoming a routine clinical tool for applications that range from quality control to treatment verification. This book provides a basic understanding of the fundamental principles and limitations of the MC method in the interpretation and validation of results for various scenarios. It shows how user-friendly and speed optimized MC codes can achieve online image processing or dose calculations in a clinical setting. It introduces this essential method with emphasis on applications in hardware design and testing, radiological imaging, radiation therapy, and radiobiology.

Contents:

Foundations of the Monte Carlo Method. Introduction: History and Basic Concepts. Describing Physical Processes with Monte Carlo. Geometries and Scoring. Variance Reduction Techniques. High-Performance Computing for the Monte Carlo Method. Applications of the Monte Carlo Method in Medical Physics. Monte Carlo for Hardware Design and Testing. Monte Carlo for Radiological Imaging. Monte Carlo for Radiation Therapy. Monte Carlo for Radiobiology.