Abstract
This Report is the latest in a long series of ICRU documents providing definitions for quantities and units employed in radiation science. The Report supersedes Part A of ICRU report 33 dealing with quantities and units for general use. Part B of Report 33, covering quantities and units for use in radiation protection, was replaced in 1993 by ICRU Report 51, Quantities and Units in Radiation Protection Dosimetry.
Report 60 provides definitions for fundamental quantities employed in (1) radiometry, (2) specification of interaction coefficients, (3) dosimetry and (4) radioactivity. In addition to scalar quantities, the new Report also treats relevant vectorial quantities. A definition of cema is provided, a quantity for assessing energy lost by charged particles in a way analogous to the use of kerma for assessing the transfer of energy by uncharged particles. Tables in the Report provide succinct, mathematical definitions of quantities, as well as symbols and units for each quantity. The major sections of ICRU Report 60 are:
General Consideration
Radiometry
Interaction Coefficients and Related Quantities
Dosimetry
Radioactivity