Which term describes the dose descriptor used for skin surface exposure at shallow depth?

• A. Lens Dose Equivalent
• B. Shallow Dose Equivalent
• C. Deep Dose Equivalent
• D. Whole Body Dose

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that external radiation exposure is described by dose equivalents at specific depths in tissue. For skin exposure at a shallow depth, the appropriate descriptor is the shallow dose equivalent, which quantifies the dose to the skin’s outer layers. This is distinct from other dose descriptors: the lens dose equivalent applies to the eye, the deep dose equivalent to deeper organs, and the whole body dose refers to the entire body rather than a specific surface depth. So for skin surface exposure at a shallow depth, the correct term is the shallow dose equivalent.