Sherer Ch. 1 - Introduction to Radiation Protection
ALARA - (correct Answer) - As Low As Reasonably Achievable. The principle that radiation exposure
should be kept to the bare minimum required to perform a proper diagnosis or treatment.
BERT - (correct Answer) - Background Equivalent Radiation Time. A way to explain how much radiation a
person will experience during a procedure. This is done by comparing the radiation experienced in the
procedure to how many days' or months' worth of radiation they would experience in their everyday
lives.
biologic effects - (correct Answer) - Damage to living tissue caused by radiation exposure.
diagnostic efficacy - (correct Answer) - How accurately that a diagnostic study shows the presence or
absence of disease or injury in a patient.
ESE - (correct Answer) - Entrance Skin Exposure. A measurement for the amount of radiation exposure at
the point of skin entry during radiation-causing procedures.
ionizing radiation - (correct Answer) - Radiation which makes atoms become positively or negatively
charged (ionized). This has biologic effects on organic tissue.
-xrays, gamma rays, high energy ultraviolet radiation (energy above 10 eV
non ionizing radiation - (correct Answer) - are electromagnetic radiation that do not have sufficient
kinetic energy to eject electrons from the atom.
-IE:Low energy ultraviolet radiation, visible light, infrared rays, microwaves and radio waves
millisievert (mSv) - (correct Answer) - 1/1000th of a Sievert; a common unit of radiation exposure to a
patient.
occupational dose - (correct Answer) - The amount of radiation exposure of a person who works in a
field where radiation is used.
nonoccupational dose - (correct Answer) - The amount of radiation exposure of a person who does not
work in a field where radiation is used.
radiation protection - (correct Answer) - Any procedure which reduces radiation dose to a person.
-effective measures to safeguard PT, personnel, and general public from unnecessary exposure to
ionizing radiation.
risk - (correct Answer) - The probability of inducing a radiogenic cancer or genetic defect after irradiation.
sivert (Sv)
(SI unit of EqD) - (correct Answer) - A unit of measurement for ionizing radiation dose. It's equivalent to 1
Joule / kilogram (1 J/kg).
ALARA - (correct Answer) - As Low As Reasonably Achievable. The principle that radiation exposure
should be kept to the bare minimum required to perform a proper diagnosis or treatment.
BERT - (correct Answer) - Background Equivalent Radiation Time. A way to explain how much radiation a
person will experience during a procedure. This is done by comparing the radiation experienced in the
procedure to how many days' or months' worth of radiation they would experience in their everyday
lives.
biologic effects - (correct Answer) - Damage to living tissue caused by radiation exposure.
diagnostic efficacy - (correct Answer) - How accurately that a diagnostic study shows the presence or
absence of disease or injury in a patient.
ESE - (correct Answer) - Entrance Skin Exposure. A measurement for the amount of radiation exposure at
the point of skin entry during radiation-causing procedures.
ionizing radiation - (correct Answer) - Radiation which makes atoms become positively or negatively
charged (ionized). This has biologic effects on organic tissue.
-xrays, gamma rays, high energy ultraviolet radiation (energy above 10 eV
non ionizing radiation - (correct Answer) - are electromagnetic radiation that do not have sufficient
kinetic energy to eject electrons from the atom.
-IE:Low energy ultraviolet radiation, visible light, infrared rays, microwaves and radio waves
millisievert (mSv) - (correct Answer) - 1/1000th of a Sievert; a common unit of radiation exposure to a
patient.
occupational dose - (correct Answer) - The amount of radiation exposure of a person who works in a
field where radiation is used.
nonoccupational dose - (correct Answer) - The amount of radiation exposure of a person who does not
work in a field where radiation is used.
radiation protection - (correct Answer) - Any procedure which reduces radiation dose to a person.
-effective measures to safeguard PT, personnel, and general public from unnecessary exposure to
ionizing radiation.
risk - (correct Answer) - The probability of inducing a radiogenic cancer or genetic defect after irradiation.
sivert (Sv)
(SI unit of EqD) - (correct Answer) - A unit of measurement for ionizing radiation dose. It's equivalent to 1
Joule / kilogram (1 J/kg).
