Monte Carlo simulation for radiation transport. Applications in medical physics

Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is the most accurate technique currently available for solving problems related with the transport of radiation in complex geometries, such as those encountered in medical application. In this work we present a brief description of the basic features of the MC simulation of photons, electrons and positrons. Some of the most relevant applications of this technique in the field of medical physics are also discussed, namely, imaging in nuclear medicine, diagnostic radiology, calculations related with radiotherapy (i.e.,teletherapy, dose planning and brachytherapy) and microdosimetry. It is foreseen that this latter field will encompass the most challenging problems for the application of radiation physics to medicine during the 21 st century. (Author) 12 refs