dosimetry
Meaning of dosimetry: Radiation dose is measured and calculated through dosimetry, a process used in treatment planning as well as monitoring occupational and environmental exposure.
Definition of dosimetry
Dosimetry is the measurement and calculation of the dose of radiation absorbed by tissue or received from a particular source. It applies wherever radiation dose needs to be quantified, including radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine, and occupational or environmental monitoring.
In radiation therapy, dosimetry involves calculating how much radiation a tumor and surrounding tissue will receive from a planned treatment, work that informs how a course of therapy is designed before it begins. In diagnostic imaging, dosimetry can be used to estimate the radiation dose received during a particular study.
Outside of medical treatment, dosimetry also covers monitoring the radiation exposure of workers in settings such as nuclear facilities, radiology departments, and certain research laboratories, often using a small wearable device that records accumulated exposure over time.
Used in a sentence
Dosimetry calculations were reviewed before finalizing the patient's radiation treatment plan.
Good to know
Dosimetry covers a broader range of settings than cancer treatment alone, including diagnostic imaging and occupational radiation monitoring, though it is most often discussed in the context of radiation therapy planning.
Word origin
Where “dosimetry” comes from
Formed from Greek dosis, meaning a giving or dose, and metron, meaning measure.