Effective dose

Effective dose is calculated as:

$E = \sum\limits_T w_T \cdot [\frac{H_T^M + H_T^F}{2}]$

where $H_T^M$ and $H_F^M$ are the equivalent doses to the tissues or organs $r_T$ of the Reference Adult Male and the Reference Adult Female, respectively and $w_T$ is the tissue weighting factor for target tissue $T$, with $\sum\limits_T w_T = 1$.

Effective dose is a weighted average of equivalent doses to organs/tissues. The averaging is performed over all organs and tissues of the human body for which radiation detriment can be quantified and for which $w_T$ values are assigned. As $w_R$ and $w_T$ are dimensionless, the SI unit for effective dose is the same as for absorbed dose J kg^-1 and its special name is sievert (Sv).

See also the ICRPaedia entry on absorbed, equivalent, and effective dose.

ICRP Publication 130, 2015

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Previous glossary entries

from ICRP Publication 139, 2018

The tissue-weighted sum of the equivalent doses in all specified tissues and organs of the body given by the expression:

$E = \sum_T w_T H_T = \sum_T w_T \sum_R w_R D_{T,R}$

where $w_T$ is the tissue weighting factor for tissue or organ $T$ and $w_R$ is the radiation weighting factor. The unit for effective dose is the same as for absorbed dose J kg^-1 and its special name is sievert (Sv). The sum is performed over all organs and tissues of the human body considered to be sensitive to the induction of stochastic effects. The tissue weighting factors are age- and sex-averaged and intended to apply as rounded values to a population of both sexes and all ages.

from ICRP Publication 129, 2015

The tissue-weighted sum of the equivalent doses in all specified tissues and organs of the body given by the expression:

$E = \sum_T w_T H_T$

where $H_T$ is the equivalent dose in a tissue or organ $T$, and $w_T$ is the tissue weighting factor. The SI unit for effective dose is sievert (Sv) equal to J kg^-1.

from ICRP Publication 127, 2014

The tissue-weighted sum of the equivalent doses in all specified tissues and organ sof the body given by the expression:

$E = \sum_T w_T \sum W_R D_{T,R}$

or:

$E = \sum_T w_T \sum_R H_T$

where $H_T$ or $w_R D_{T,R}$ is the equivalent dose in a tissue or organ $T$, and $w_T$ is the tissue weighting factor. The unit for effective dose is the same as for absorbed dose (J kg^-1) and its special name is sievert (Sv).