CAMRT Radiography Practice Exam

What quantity reflects both the dose and the volume of irradiated tissue?

1. Effective dose

2. Absorbed dose

3. Dose area product

4. Equivalent dose

The correct answer is: Dose area product

The correct answer is indeed the quantity that reflects both the dose and the volume of irradiated tissue, known as the dose area product. Dose area product measures the total amount of radiation energy delivered to a specific area of tissue during an imaging procedure. It is calculated by multiplying the absorbed dose by the area of the radiation field. This not only considers the amount of radiation exposure (the dose) but also the extent of the area that was irradiated (the volume), providing a comprehensive measure of the radiation risk associated with the procedure. The other options do play important roles in radiological practices. Effective dose accounts for the type of tissue irradiated and the relative risk associated with different types of radiation, but it doesn't directly incorporate the volume of tissue. Absorbed dose measures the amount of energy deposited in a specific volume of tissue but does not factor in the area of exposure. Equivalent dose also considers the biological effect of different types of radiation, focusing more on risk rather than area. Therefore, dose area product is the quantity that distinctly ties together radiation dose and the irradiated tissue volume.