Equivalent dose

The equivalent dose in an organ or tissue is given by:

$H_T = \displaystyle \sum_{R} w_RD_{R,T}$

where DR,T is the mean absorbed dose from radiation R in a tissue or organ T, and wR is the radiation weighting factor. The SI unit of equivalent dose is joule per kilogram (J/kg-1), and its special name is sievert (Sv). (ICRP Publication 123, 2013)

ICRP Glossary entry - May 2019

Previous Description

The equivalent dose to a tissue or organ is deﬁned as:

$H_T = \displaystyle \sum_{R} w_RD_{R,T}$

where 𝑤𝑅 is the radiation weighting factor for radiation type R, and 𝐷𝑅,𝑇 is the organ absorbed dose from radiation type R in a tissue or organ 𝑟𝑇 of the Reference Adult Male or the Reference Adult Female. As 𝑤𝑅 is dimensionless, the SI unit for the equivalent dose is the same as for absorbed dose, J kg-1, and its special name is sievert (Sv). (From ICRP Publication 130, 2015)

The equivalent dose to a tissue or organ is deﬁned as:

$H_T = \displaystyle \sum_{R} w_RD_{R,T}$

where 𝑤𝑅 is the radiation weighting factor for radiation type R, and 𝐷𝑅,𝑇 is the organ absorbed dose from radiation type R in a tissue or organ 𝑟𝑇 of the Reference Adult Male or the Reference Adult Female. As 𝑤𝑅 is dimensionless, the SI unit for the equivalent dose is the same as for absorbed dose, joule per kilogram (J kg-1) and its special name is sievert (Sv).(From ICRP Publication 133, 2016)