Radiation Oncology Department, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, USA

Corresponding author: C-M Charlie Ma, Radiation Oncology Department, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, USA. Email: [email protected]

Received Date: December 22, 2021 

Published Date: December 30, 2020 

Copyrights: Ma C-M. © (2021). 

Citation: Ma C-M. (2021). On the Definition of Sievert and Its SI Unit. Mathews J Cancer Sci. 6(1):29. 

ABSTRACT

The sievert (symbol: Sv) is the special name for the International System of Units (SI) of equivalent dose, which is defined as 1 Sv = 1 J kg^-1. Depending on the radiation type, however, an inconsistency occurs in which the same energy imparted per unit mass (e.g., 1 J kg^-1) will result in different equivalent doses (e.g., 1 Sv for x-rays and 20 Sv for alpha particles). This short communication discusses the definition of equivalent dose and suggests to redefine sievert as a measure of the equivalent biological effect produced by 1 J kg^-1 of absorbed dose.

Radiation Oncology Department, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, USA

Corresponding author: C-M Charlie Ma, Radiation Oncology Department, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, USA. Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The sievert (symbol: Sv) is the special name for the International System of Units (SI) of equivalent dose, which is defined as 1 Sv = 1 J kg^-1. Depending on the radiation type, however, an inconsistency occurs in which the same energy imparted per unit mass (e.g., 1 J kg^-1) will result in different equivalent doses (e.g., 1 Sv for x-rays and 20 Sv for alpha particles). This short communication discusses the definition of equivalent dose and suggests to redefine sievert as a measure of the equivalent biological effect produced by 1 J kg^-1 of absorbed dose.