How is the effective dose (EfD) generally calculated across multiple tissues?

How is the effective dose (EfD) generally calculated across multiple tissues?

• A. Sum of absorbed dose multiplied by each tissue's weighting factor
• B. Absorbed dose in the most sensitive tissue only
• C. Average absorbed dose across all tissues
• D. Absorbed dose in tissue with the highest weighting factor only

Answer: (A)

Effective dose combines how much radiation each tissue receives with how sensitive that tissue is to radiation. You multiply the absorbed dose in each tissue by that tissue’s weighting factor, then add these products across all tissues. This sum gives the effective dose, reflecting overall risk from exposure rather than just the dose to a single tissue. The approach matters because different tissues contribute differently to stochastic effects, so a single tissue or a simple average wouldn’t capture the true risk distribution.

Effective dose combines how much radiation each tissue receives with how sensitive that tissue is to radiation. You multiply the absorbed dose in each tissue by that tissue’s weighting factor, then add these products across all tissues. This sum gives the effective dose, reflecting overall risk from exposure rather than just the dose to a single tissue. The approach matters because different tissues contribute differently to stochastic effects, so a single tissue or a simple average wouldn’t capture the true risk distribution.