About Dose Reconstruction

At a glance

Radiation dose reconstruction is a process that is used to determine past releases of radiological materials, the dose or amount of radiation received by persons in the vicinity, and the possible health effects of the radioactive substances on those persons.

Cooling pool at the Savannah Rivers Site

Objectives

Dose reconstruction is one method used to determine possible health effects of radiation exposure to the public.

The radiation dose reconstruction is used to determine three things:

  1. Past releases of radiological materials.
  2. The dose or amount of radiation received by persons in the vicinity.
  3. The possible health effects of the radioactive substances on those persons.

Process

  1. Gather information about area of radiation exposure and assess data.
  2. Identify pathways of internal and external exposure.
  3. Determine methods of calculation to estimate screening doses and exposures.
  4. Develop methods to assess and estimate environmental doses.
  5. Determine risk of environmental exposures through selected calculation method.
  6. Document reconstruction procedures and results.
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Content Source:
National Center for Environmental Health