Question

The definition of "Integral Dose" is:

1. the gram rad
2. the total energy absorbed from the beam by the patient
3. the thickness of absorbing material necessary to reduce the dose by half
4. the product of the mass of tissue and dose which it receives

Answer 1

Integral Dose is the total energy absorbed from a radiation beam by a patient's body, measured in grays (Gy) or rads, with one gray being equivalent to the absorption of one joule per kilogram and one rad being 0.01 joules per gram.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term Integral Dose refers to the total energy absorbed by a patient from a radiation beam and is measured in units such as grays (Gy) or rads. The unit 'rad' stands for radiation absorbed dose, and it quantifies the amount of radiation energy absorbed per mass of tissue. Precisely, 1 rad is equal to the absorption of 0.01 joules of energy by 1 gram of tissue. Alternatively, the SI unit gray is used, where 1 Gy is equivalent to 1 joule of energy absorbed per kilogram of tissue. Therefore, 1 Gy equals 100 rads.

When calculating the absorbed dose in rads or grays, the energy absorbed is divided by the mass of the affected tissue, while specifying the region of the body that has been exposed, such as the whole body or a specific limb. This differentiation is crucial because different tissues might receive different levels of exposure. It is important to note that unaffected tissue would have a zero rad dose, indicating no absorption. Such measurements are essential in fields like radiation therapy and radiation protection to ensure safe levels of exposure.