Radiation Units & Quantities (CTBC 21) Flashcards
2 means of measuring x-rays
Radiation in Air
Radiation in Tissue
Exposure
Number of ionizations created in air
Units of Exposure
Coulombs per kilogram (C/kg)
6.242x10^18 ionizations equals
1 coulomb
Traditional units of radiation measurement
Roentgens (R)
(more common in practice)
2.58 x 10^-4 C/kg
1 Roentgen
Typically the exposure in air created by CT is significantly less than…
1C/kg or 1R
(1 C/kg ~ 3876 R)
(air) KERMA
Kinetic Energy Released per unit MAss
(Alternative to measuring exposure)
Air kerma quantifies radiation by measuring
Energy of ionizations
Ionizations
Liberated electrons
Air kerma measures _____ of ionizations; Exposure measures _______ of ionizations
energy
number
Air Kerma Units
Gy
mGy
Both _______ and _______ can be used to measure radiation produced by CT x-ray tube, scatter radiation produced during CT procedure, scatter radiation escaping CT scan room
Exposure
Air kerma
Measuring the radiation produced by a CT x-ray tube is readily done with
Exposure or Air Kerma
Measuring the scatter radiation produced during a CT procedure is readily achieved using
Exposure or Air Kerma
Measuring the scatter radiation escaping the CT scan room is readily achieved using
Exposure or Air Kerma
Increasing mA _______exposure and air kerma
Increases
Increasing kVp _______ exposure and air kerma
Increases
The most basic way to quantify the amount of radiation energy absorbed by the body
Absorbed dose (D)
Units for absorbed dose (D)
Gy/mGy
(Rad/mRad)
1 J/kg =
1Gy
An extension of absorbed dose measured in Sv/mSv (rem/mrem)
Equivalent dose (EqD)
(EqD = D x Wr)
Wr (W-subR)
Radiation weighting factor: used to define difference in biological damage between different radiation types
Wr (W-subR) for x-rays
1
Wr (W-subR) for gamma rays
1
Wr (W-subR) for beta particles
1
Wr (W-subR) for protons
5
Wr (W-subR) for slow neutrons
5
Wr (W-subR) for fast neutrons
10
Wr (W-subR) for alpha paticles
20
Because CT utilizes x-rays, the EqD is always equal to _______ x D
EqD = (1)D
In CT the difference between EqD and D is
Units: Sv vs Gy
EfD
(equation)
Effective Dose
EfD = (D)(W-subR)(W-subT)
Purpose of EfD
Accounts for specific radiosensitivities of different tissue types
Wt (W-subT) for bone marrow
0.12
Wt (W-subT) for breasts
0.12
Wt (W-subT) for lungs
0.12
Wt (W-subT) for colon
0.12
Wt (W-subT) for stomach
0.12
Wt (W-subT) for gonads
0.08
Wt (W-subT) for liver
0.04
Wt (W-subT) for thyroid
0.04
Wt (W-subT) for brain
0.01
Tissue weighting factors (Wt (W-subT)) represents the comparative risk of
Developing radiation-induced cancer
Describes the biological effect of a given dose of radiation
Equivalent dose (EqD)
(EqD = D x Wr)