INTRODUCTION TO RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY

One essential characteristic of life is the exchange of matterand energy between organisms and their environment. Radiation is aform of energy that has always been around in nature and will foreverbe the companion of human beings throughout life. In order to assessthe impact of radiation exposures properly, it is essential tointroduce appropriate quantities and units which can then be used forquantification of exposures from various sources. In principle,radiation protection is mainly aimed at controlling radiationexposure, while radiation dosimetry deals primarily with themeasurement of relevant radiation quantities especially doses. Thisbook is divided into two parts. The first contains up-to-datedefinitions of the most significant radiation quantities includingtheir interpretation. In the second part, the exposures of bothindividuals and population at large to various types of natural andman-made sources are compared and discussed. The concept of quantitiesand units as well as analysis of exposure due to various sources inour environment is based on the latest, highly regarded authenticsources such as ICRU, ICRP, IAEA and particularly UNSCEAR reports andrecommendations. The material reflects the latest review of thecurrent terminology in radiation protection dosimetry and thecontemporary assessment of radiation exposures of the population,radiation workers and patients.