Dosimetry

Glossary

Absorbed dose:

The amount of energy deposited by ionizing radiation per unit mass of the material. Usually expressed in the special radiologic unit rad or in the SI unit the gray (Gy). One Gy equals 1 J/kg or 100 rad.

Dosimeter:

Any device worn or carried by an individual to establish total exposure, absorbed dose, or equivalent (or the rates) in the area or to the individual worker while occupying the area.

Equivalent dose:

(Formerly the dose equivalent) The product of the absorbed dose and the radiation-weighting factor (formerly the quality factor) for the type of radiation for which the absorbed dose is measured or calculated. The equivalent dose is used to express the effects of radiation-absorbed dose from many types of ionizing radiation on a common scale. The special radiologic unit is the rem or in the SI unit the sievert (Sv). One Sv is equal to 100 rem.

Exposure:

A quantity defined as the charge produced in air by photons interacting in a volume of air of known...