ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the main quantities used in the radiation protection field are reviewed. The protection quantities of major concern in regulation are dealt with first, including a summary of the basic assumptions behind the important quantity effective dose. This quantity is not measurable and to verify dose limits operational quantities have been defined. The operational quantities are related to the protection quantities, and this will be discussed and illustrated. Both the protection quantities and the operational quantities include a weighting factor for radiation quality. For the operational quantities this factor is a function of the linear energy transfer, L. The principal advantage with tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs) is their ability to measure not only the absorbed dose to tissue but also the lineal energy, y, related to LET and as a consequence the dose equivalent can be estimated. The accuracy with which the dose equivalent may be determined with TEPCs is summarised. Techniques to separate dose contributions from low- and high-LET radiations are also described. In the final section of this chapter a few examples are given to illustrate how the diagnostic capability of experimental microdosimetry can be used.
