Community Medicine (PSM) · Environmental Health (Water, Air, Sanitation, Radiation, Housing)

The 'effective dose' in radiation protection is measured in sieverts (Sv) and accounts for:

  • A Energy deposited per kilogram of tissue (absorbed dose) alone
  • B Absorbed dose weighted by radiation weighting factor (type of radiation) and tissue weighting factor (radio-sensitivity of organs)
  • C Surface contamination of skin and clothing only
  • D Cumulative dose over a lifetime without weighting
Correct answer: B. Absorbed dose weighted by radiation weighting factor (type of radiation) and tissue weighting factor (radio-sensitivity of organs)

Explanation

Effective dose (E) = sum over all tissues of [absorbed dose (D) × radiation weighting factor (W_R) × tissue weighting factor (W_T)]. W_R accounts for biological effectiveness of the radiation type (X-rays W_R=1, alpha particles W_R=20); W_T accounts for sensitivity of different organs (gonads, red bone marrow have highest W_T). Effective dose allows comparison of risk from partial-body irradiation against whole-body standards.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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