Skip to main content

Effective dose

Effective dose E is used as a measure of the radiation dose for expressing relative risk to humans. The exposures related to different types of medical x-ray examinations can be compared using the quantity effective dose.

Why effective dose?
The effective dose E, often expressed in millisievert (mSv), is generally used as a measure of radiation dose of patients and personnel in medical diagnostics . Unless indicated otherwise, 'dose' often refers to effective dose. Using  the quantity effective dose, the exposures for different types of medical x-ray examinations can be compared. The effective dose is not a measurable quantity, but is calculated from the physically absorbed dose (with Gray (Gy) as a unit) in the exposed tissues/organs.

The point is that different tissues/organs are not equally sensitive to the possible adverse effects of radiation, such as cancer induction and mutations.

For this reason, the different tissues/organs have been assigned tissue weighting factors by the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP). In calculating effective dose, the absorbed tissue/organ doses are weighted with their corresponding weighting factors and additonally added up to obtain effective dose.


Popular posts from this blog

DAP unit converter

With this converter, the dose area product (DAP) can be converted into corresponding values expressed by other units. Use other tool for DAP to effective dose (mSv) conversion. Note: use point in stead of comma as a decimal separator. Input value   from  mGy.cm2 cGy.cm2 dGy.cm2 Gy.cm2 uGy.m2 mGy.m2 Gy.m2 to  mGy.cm2 cGy.cm2 dGy.cm2 Gy.cm2 uGy.m2 mGy.m2 Gy.m2 Simple example with respect to unit conversions: When converting from Gy.cm2 to µGy.m2 the following reasoning can be followed: 1 Gy = 1,000,000 (1 million) µGy; 1 cm2 = 0.0001 m2; this means that 1 Gy.cm2 = 1,000,000*0.0001 µGy.m2 = 100 µGy.m2. Note that some conversions won't result in any change, for example: 1 cGy*cm2 = 1 µGy*m2. DAP values can be translated  into effective dose levels by multiplication using specific conversion factors. For this purpose it is important that DAP value and conversion factor match in terms of their units. The above DAP calcula

DAP to mSv converter - radiography

This tool calculates the effective dose (mSv) with respect to the DAP value (e.g. cGy.cm2) belonging to different types of radiograph . It does for instance, Gy.cm2 to mSv conversion. It is emphasized that the result is an estimation. The conversion factor relates to ICRP 103 and is obtained from: Radiation risks from medical x-ray examinations as a function of the age and sex of the patient, BF Wall et al., Report HPA-CRCE-028 (2011) ; www.hpa.org.uk Note: use point in stead of comma as a decimal separator. Input value dose area product (DAP) Gy.cm2 mGy.cm2 cGy.cm2 dGy.cm2 Gy.m2

Website overview

Radiation dose converters DAP unit converter DAP to mSv converter DLP unit converter Effective dose calculator - DLP Dose rate converter Information on quantities and website Dose Area Product (DAP) Effective dose DAP in DICOM header Feedback form About dr Wizard Miscellaneous calculators Age calculator BMI calculator Background topics Image quality Learn more?

Dose area product (DAP)

Dose Area Product (DAP), is a multiplication of the dose and the area exposed, often expressed in Gy.cm2. Modern x-ray systems are fitted with a DAP meter, able to record accumulated DAP during an examination.

DLP unit converter

With this converter, the dose length product (DLP) can be converted into corresponding values expressed by other units. Note: use point in stead of comma as a decimal separator. Input value   from     mGy.cm cGy.cm dGy.cm Gy.cm uGy.m mGy.m cGy.m dGy.m Gy.m to     mGy.cm cGy.cm dGy.cm Gy.cm uGy.m mGy.m cGy.m dGy.m Gy.m

Radiation dose converters

Radiation dose converters DAP unit converter DAP to mSv converter DLP unit converter Effective dose calculator - DLP Dose rate converter

Effective dose calculator - CTA-chest

Note 1: use point in stead of comma as a decimal separator. Note 2: currently only for CTA-chest and a rough estimate. Input value dose length product (DLP) mGy.cm cGy.cm dGy.cm Gy.cm Gy.m Result Effective dose mSv

Dose rate converter

Dose rate is defined as: the quotient of the dose over a given period of time, and this duration. For example, the dose rate can be expressed in units of Gy/h. This converter helps to convert dose rate into another unit. Input value   from  uGy/s uGy/m uGy/h mGy/s mGy/m mGy/h cGy/s > to  uGy/s uGy/m uGy/h mGy/s mGy/m mGy/h cGy/h >                                     ...or use SHARE button f