TYPICAL RADIATION DOSES:
Following tables provides example radiation doses and their effects on humans. These
will help the reader understand rem values in the real world situations. The REM
S.I.C.D. can read between 1 REM and 999 REM.
Table 1 – Typical Radiation Doses Event Exposure in
rem
GENERAL PUBLIC: Maximum permissible annual dose (w/o
medical & natural exposure)
0.17
Living in Boston, MA: Natural background per year (excluding 0.10
radon)
Living Denver, CO: Natural background per year(excluding radon) 0.18
X-Ray Medical Technician: additional (excluding background) 0.32
TV Set: annual dose to gonads from TV set 0.0002
Barium Enema: medical procedure received by the bone marrow 0.88
Chest X-Ray: medical procedure received by the bone marrow 0.01
Mammogram: medical procedure received by breast 0.50 -0.70
Airline Passenger: ten flights per year 0.003
Airline Crew: average per year 0.16
Nuclear worker: yearly legal dose 5.00
Non-Occupational: yearly legal dose 0.10
Pregnant Worker Non-Occupational: Over entire Pregnancy 0.50
Pregnant Worker Non-Occupational: After pregnancy declared (in
1 month)
0.05
Table 2 - Effects of Dose On
Humans: Dose in rem
EFFECTS (with no medical treatment)
0-50 No obvious effects, blood chemistry changes
100 Minor radiation sickness in about 10%
people
150 Minor radiation sickness in about 25%
people
200 Radiation sickness in about 50% people
300 Radiation sickness in all exposed, about
20% death rate within 1 month
450 About 50% death rate without medical
treatment
500 Radiation sickness within 4 hours, over 50%
death rate
1000 Radiation sickness within 1-2 hours, 100%
death rate
