NCRP 163 PDF

Radiation dose reconstruction is the retrospective assessment of dose to identifiable or representative individuals or populations by any means. In this Report, the scope of dose reconstruction includes estimates of absorbed dose to individual organs or tissues for specified exposure situations in support of epidemiological studies or compensation programs, to guide interventions in accidental or malevolent exposures, or for individual or public information. For the purpose of this Report, dose reconstruction excludes demonstration of compliance with regulatory criteria for workers or members of the public, and projections of dose from future or prospective exposures. There are many different applications of dose reconstruction as defined here, many potential approaches, and a great deal of scientific and public interest in the results.

This Report illustrates the breadth of the field, and emphasizes that all dose-reconstruction projects, while unique, incorporate a few basic elements, which are described and illustrated with many examples (case studies). Each case study is intended to demonstrate how specific limitations associated with the case study were overcome.