[ RadSafe ] Myth or Fact?

[Otto Raabe]

At 02:34 PM 8/24/2006, Bev wrote:
>     I recently read a book called "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity" 
> by John Stossel of 20/20 fame: "Every year, the average U.S. citizen is 
> exposed to natural radiation equal to about 360 dental X-rays."
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Stossel doesn't understand the radiological  science.

The 360 mrem per year is the BEIR V average for people in the continental 
U.S. for effective whole body dose-equivalent ( effective dose) from 
natural, medical, other man-made sources. The1 mrem for a dental X-ray is 
only an estimate of the dose-equivalent to a small portion of the jaw.  The 
tissue weighting factor (Wt) for the jaw must be really small. If its 
0.001,  he should have said 360,000 dental X-rays.

Otto

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Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP
Center for Health & the Environment
University of California
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
E-Mail: ograabe at ucdavis.edu
Phone: (530) 752-7754   FAX: (530) 758-6140
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