1. Ionizing Radiation Cancer Radiotherapy:
Whole body, acute: G-I destruction;
lung damage; cognitive dysfunction
Dose Ranges Whole body, acute:
total dose to tumor
(death certain in 5 to 12 days)*
cerebral/ vascular
breakdown
(death in 1-5 days)*
( Rem ) 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10,000 rem
Total Body Whole body, acute: circulating blood
Whole body, acute: marked G-I
Irradiation
Life Span Study cell death; moderate G-I damage
and bone marrow damage
(TBI) Therapy (death probable in 2-3 weeks)*
(A-bomb survivors) (death probable in 1-2 weeks)*
*Note: Whole body acute
prognoses assume no
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 rem
Estimated dose for medical intervention.)
Human LD50 range, acute exposure
Human LD50 range, acute exposure
3-yr Mars mission with no medical intervention with medical intervention
(50% death in 3-6 weeks)*
Evidence for small increases in
Cancer Epidemiology human cancer above 10 rem acute
exposure, 20 rem chronic exposure
Typical mission doses on
0 20 40 60 80 100 rem Medical Diagnostics, rem
Int. Space Station (ISS) NRC guideline for
lifesaving ~ 25 rem A- Chest x-ray (1 film) 0.01
“Radiological
DOE Low Dose Program
Emergency” guidelines B- Dental oral exam 0.16
for public relocation
I
H J C- Mammogram 0.25
“Full-body CT screening”
D- Lumbosacral spine 0.32
(one scan) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 rem
NRC Dose Limit for Workers
DOE administrative control E- PET 0.37
Typical annual doses for = 5 rem/yr = 50 mSv/yr
= 2 rem/yr = 20 mSv/yr
commercial airline F- Bone (Tc-99m) 0.44
Medical Diagnostics (A-J)
flight crews
C DE G- Cardiac (Tc-99m) 0.75
A B F G
H- Cranial CT (MSAD) 5
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 mrem = 1 rem (multiple scan average dose)
Cleanup criteria for Natural background,
background, Temporary “Special Case” annual
I- Barium contrast G-I 8.5
average ≅ 300 mrem/yr
site decommissioning/ Public Limit (NRC, DOE)
fluoroscopy (2 min scan)
license termination (includes radon) (~ four orders of
Regulations & Guidelines
25 mrem/yr magnitude ) J- Spiral CT 3 - 10
Round-trip
NY to London LD50 = Lethal Dose to 50%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 mrem (the acute whole body dose that results in
lethality to 50% of the exposed individuals)
ANSI standard N43.17 NRC Dose Limit for Public
Typical maximum
NCRP
Personnel scanner, 100 mrem/yr = 1 mSv/yr Absorbed dose: 100 rad = 1 Gray
doses from DOE
“Negligible max = 25 mrem/yr (DOE, ICRP, NCRP)
facility releases
Dose” Dose equivalent: 100 rem = 1 Sievert
100 mrem = 1 mSv
Note: This chart was constructed with the intention of providing a simple, user-friendly, “order-of-magnitude” reference for radiation quantities of interest
( Chart compiled by NF Metting, Office of Science
to scientists, managers, and the general public. In that spirit, most quantities were expressed in the more commonly used radiation protection unit, the
rem (or Sievert, 2nd page), and medical doses are not in “effective” dose. It is acknowledged that the decision to use one set of units does not address
(1 rem = 1 rad for x- and gamma- rays)
DOE/BER; 24Jan2005,“Orders of Magnitude”)
everyone’s needs. Disclaimer: Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express
or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information disclosed.

2. Ionizing Radiation Cancer Radiotherapy:
Whole body, acute: G-I destruction;
lung damage; cognitive dysfunction
Dose Ranges Whole body, acute:
total dose to tumor
(death certain in 5 to 12 days)*
cerebral/ vascular
breakdown
(death in 1-5 days)*
( Sievert ) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Sv
Total Body Whole body, acute: circulating blood
Whole body, acute: marked G-I
Irradiation
Life Span Study cell death; moderate G-I damage
and bone marrow damage
(TBI) Therapy (death probable in 2-3 weeks)*
(A-bomb survivors) (death probable in 1-2 weeks)*
*Note: Whole body acute
prognoses assume no
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Sv
Estimated dose for medical intervention.)
Human LD50 range, acute exposure
Human LD50 range, acute exposure
3-yr Mars mission with no medical intervention with medical intervention
(50% death in 3-6 weeks)*
Evidence for small increases in
Cancer Epidemiology human cancer above 0.1 Sv acute
exposures, 0.2 Sv chronic exposure
Typical mission doses on 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 Sv Medical Diagnostics, mSv
Int. Space Station (ISS) NRC guideline for
lifesaving ~ 0.25 Sv A- Chest x-ray (1 film) 0.1
“Radiological
DOE Low Dose Program
Emergency” guidelines B- Dental oral exam 1.6
for public relocation
I
H J C- Mammogram 2.5
“Full-body CT screening”
(one scan) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 mSv D- Lumbosacral spine 3.2
NRC Dose Limit for Workers
DOE administrative control
E- PET 3.7
Typical annual doses for = 50 mSv/yr = 5 rem/yr
= 20 mSv/yr = 2 rem/yr
commercial airline
F- Bone (Tc-99m) 4.4
Medical Diagnostics (A-J)
flight crews
C DE G- Cardiac (Tc-99m) 7.5
B
A F G
H- Cranial CT (MSAD) 50
0 2 4 6 8 10 mSv (multiple scan average dose)
Cleanup criteria for Temporary “Special Case” annual ( = 1 rem )
Natural background,
background,
site decommissioning/ I- Barium contrast G-I 85
average ≅ 3 mSv/yr Public Limit (NRC, DOE)
license termination fluoroscopy (2 min scan)
(~ four orders of
(includes radon)
Regulations & Guidelines
0.25 mSv/yr magnitude ) J- Spiral CT 30 - 100
Round-trip
NY to London LD50 = Lethal Dose to 50%
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 mSv (the acute whole body dose that results in
lethality to 50% of the exposed individuals)
ANSI standard N43.17 NRC Dose Limit for Public
Typical maximum
NCRP
Personnel scanner, = 1 mSv/yr = 100 mrem/yr Absorbed dose: 1 Gray = 100 rad
doses from DOE
“Negligible max = 0.25 mSv/yr (DOE, ICRP, NCRP)
facility releases
Dose” Dose equivalent: 1 Sievert = 100 rem
1 mSv = 100 mrem
Note: This chart was constructed with the intention of providing a simple, user-friendly, “order-of-magnitude” reference for radiation quantities of interest
( Chart compiled by NF Metting, Office of Science
to scientists, managers, and the general public. In that spirit, most quantities were expressed in the more commonly used radiation protection unit, the
rem (or Sievert, 2nd page), and medical doses are not in “effective” dose. It is acknowledged that the decision to use one set of units does not address
(1 Sv = 1 Gy for x- and gamma- rays)
DOE/BER; 24Jan2005,“Orders of Magnitude”)
everyone’s needs. Disclaimer: Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express
or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information disclosed.