Enter your Absorbed Dose, select a Radiation Type, and choose a Tissue/Organ to calculate the Dose Equivalent — the measure of radiation's actual biological impact on your body. You'll also get the Dose Equivalent in mSv, along with the Radiation Weighting Factor and Tissue Weighting Factor used in the calculation.
Dose Equivalent
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Dose Equivalent (mSv)
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Radiation Weighting Factor
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Tissue Weighting Factor
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Absorbed dose (measured in Gray) is the amount of radiation energy absorbed per unit mass of tissue. Dose equivalent (measured in Sieverts) accounts for the biological effectiveness of different types of radiation by applying radiation weighting factors.
Radiation weighting factors (wR) account for the relative biological effectiveness of different types of radiation. Alpha particles have a higher weighting factor (20) than X-rays (1) because they cause more biological damage per unit of absorbed dose.
1 Sievert (Sv) equals 1,000 millisieverts (mSv). Most occupational and medical radiation doses are measured in millisieverts because they are typically much smaller than 1 Sv.
For radiation workers, the annual dose limit is typically 20 mSv averaged over 5 years. For the general public, the annual dose limit is usually 1 mSv per year, excluding natural background and medical exposures.
Tissue weighting factors (wT) reflect the relative sensitivity of different organs and tissues to radiation-induced cancer and hereditary effects. Reproductive organs and bone marrow are more radiosensitive than skin or bone surfaces.
These calculations use standard ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) weighting factors and are suitable for radiation protection purposes. However, individual biological responses to radiation can vary.
This calculator is useful for radiation safety officers, medical physicists, and health physics professionals who need to assess radiation exposure risks and ensure compliance with dose limits in occupational or medical settings.