millisievert
Small radiation measurement
A millisievert is one-thousandth of a sievert, the standard unit for measuring radiation dose absorbed by living tissue.
The millisievert accounts for the biological impact of different radiation types, not just raw energy.
Annual background radiation exposure averages 2-3 millisieverts for most people.
The CT scan delivered about 10 millisieverts.
Illness from ionizing exposure
- cancer riskChance of malignancy developing
- thyroid cancerNeck gland malignancy
- leukemiaMalignancy of blood-forming tissues
- chronic exposureRepeated long-term contact
tissue damage · DNA damage · epidemiology · Chernobyl · Fukushima
Electron-displacing electromagnetic energy
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- X-raysShort-wavelength penetrating light
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
- alpha particlesEmitted helium nuclei
radioactive contamination · nuclear fallout · radon exposure · medical imaging · CT scan · radiotherapy · radioactive decay · half-life
Exposure measurement device
- radiation monitoringTracking radioactive emission levels
- environmental monitoringObserving natural systems systematically
- TLDWebsite address ending
- annual limitMaximum permitted per year
Unit of radiation dose
radiation sickness
Illness from ionizing exposure
- cancer riskChance of malignancy developing
- thyroid cancerNeck gland malignancy
- leukemiaMalignancy of blood-forming tissues
chronic exposure · tissue damage · DNA damage · epidemiology · Chernobyl · Fukushima
ionizing radiation
Electron-displacing electromagnetic energy
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- X-raysShort-wavelength penetrating light
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
alpha particles · radioactive contamination · nuclear fallout · radon exposure · medical imaging · CT scan · radiotherapy · radioactive decay · half-life · radionuclide
dosimeter
Exposure measurement device
- radiation monitoringTracking radioactive emission levels
- environmental monitoringObserving natural systems systematically
- TLDWebsite address ending
microsievert
Unit of radiation dose