A Monte Carlo Primer for Health Physicists

Abstract

The basic ideas and principles of Monte Carlo calculations are presented in the form of a "primer" for health physicists. A simple integral with a known answer is evaluated by two different Monte Carlo approaches. Random numbers, which underlie Monte Carlo work, are discussed, and a sample table of random numbers generated by a hand calculator is presented. Monte Carlo calculations of dose and linear energy transfer (LET) from 100-keV neutrons incident on a tissue slab are discussed. The random-number table is used in a hand calculation of the initial sequence of events for a 100-keV neutron entering the slab. Some pitfalls in Monte Carlo work are described. While this primer addresses mainly the "bare bones" of Monte Carlo, a final section briefly describes some of the more sophisticated techniques used in practice to reduce variance and computing time.