MCPT: A Monte Carlo code for simulation of photon transport in tomographic scanners

MCPT is a special-purpose Monte Carlo code designed to simulate photon transport in tomographic scanners. Variance reduction schemes and sampling games present in MCPT were selected to characterize features common to most tomographic scanners. Combined splitting and biasing (CSB) games are used to systematically sample important detection pathways. An efficient splitting game is used to tally particle energy deposition in detection zones. The pulse height distribution of each detector can be found by convolving the calculated energy deposition distribution with the detector's resolution function. A general geometric modelling package, HERMETOR, is used to describe the geometry of the tomographic scanners and provide MCPT information needed for particle tracking. MCPT's modelling capabilites are described and preliminary experimental validation is presented. (orig.)