Radiation Safety Series

Lesson 3
Units of Measure and Dose
 Units of Measurement
R Symbol for Roentgen, a unit of measure
for X-ray and Gamma ray
rad Symbol for Radiation Absorbed Dose
Q Quality factor or relative effectiveness
rem Roentgen Equivalent Man
rem = rad x Q
 R - Roentgen
• Is a unit of measure of gamma or x-ray
radiation in air.
• The amount of radiation that will produce
one electrostatic unit of charge in one cubic
meter of air at standard temperature (32o F)
and standard atmospheric pressure
 rad - Radiation Absorb Dose
• Roentgen is based on ionization in air and
therefore it can not be used to measure
radiation dose in animal tissue
• Radiant energies interact differently in
animal tissues
• rad applies to various types of radiation
including alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray and
neutron
 Q – Quality Factor
• For each type of radiation there is a
different biological effect for the same (rad)
• The Quality factor formerly known a the
relative biological effect has been
established by the National Committee on
Radiation Protection for each radiation type
 SI Units of Measure
• Standard International unit equivalents
• Gray (Gy) is the unit of absorbed dose
1 grey = 1 joule/kilogram = 100 rad
1 rad = 100 ergs/gram
= 0.01 joules/kilogram
= 0.01 or 10-2 gray
1R = 2.85 x 10-2 Coulombs/kilograms air
 Basic Radiation Units
• milli (m) = prefix for 1/1,000 (0.001)
• 1 roentgen (R) = 1,000 milliroentgen (mR)
• 1 rem = 1,000 millirem (mrem)
Quality Factor / Biological Effect
• Alpha exposures have
a much grater
biological effect
• Much more damaging
• X-Ray and Gamma
Ray are not as
damaging as alpha
 Quality Factor Values

Radiation Type Q
X-Ray 1
Gamma Ray 1
Beta Particles 1
Thermal Neutrons 5
Fast Neutrons 10
Alpha Particles 20
 Rem Calculations

Radiation Type rad x Q = rem

X-Ray 1 1 = 1
Gamma Ray 1 1 = 1
Beta Particles 1 1 = 1
Thermal Neutrons 1 5 = 5
Fast Neutrons 1 10 = 10
Alpha Particles 1 20 = 20
 ALARA

Radiation Exposure Shall Be

As Low As is Reasonably Achievable

Considering the benefits derived from its use and the

consequences incurred from any exposure
 ALARA
• Time Distance and Shielding

• If the job takes two do not send ten

• Use Common Sense

 Determination of Occupational
Dose
• DDE is the dose received from x-rays and
gamma rays
• CEDE is a factor only if the radiographer
had some form of internal dose from
radioactive material (airborne)
TEDE = DDE + CEDE
Total Effective Deep Dose Committed Effective
Dose Equivalent Equivalent Dose Equivalent
(External) (Internal)
 TEDE Radiation Dose Limits
Annual Dose Limits
Area of exposure Occupational* PSE* PSE*
Whole body – Head 5 5 25
And trunk (including
male gonads) arms
above the elbow and
The knees

Lens of the Eye 15 15 75

Extremities – Hands, 50 50 250

elbows, feet, or legs below the knee

* Dose in rems
Minor & Embryo/Fetus Exposure
Minors:
Age < 18 years
Dose < 10% of Dose Limits
Examples: Whole body < 0.5 rem/year
Declared Pregnant Woman:
Dose < 0.5 during entire gestation period

Embryo/Fetus:
Dose < 0.5 rem
 Planned Special Exposure Conditions
1. Must be exceptional situation (source retrieval)
2. Requires prior written authority (approved procedure)
3. Individual informed and instructed
4. Dose from previous PSE’s and doses in excess of annual
dose limits determined
5. Must not exceed annual dose limits and lifetime PSE’s
6. Records maintained of conduct of PSE’s
7. Written report to NRC or regulator
8. PSE dose recorded
9. Individual informed of dose within 30 days
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/bio-effects-radiation.pdf
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/bio-effects-radiation.pdf
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/bio-effects-radiation.pdf
 Works Sited
Radiation Safety Training Series Part 1: Radiation, Rudarmel
Enterprises, inc. Lake Oswego, Oregon
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-
sheets/bio-effects-radiation.pdf