From measurement to dose: Philosophy and practice

The aim of the work is to describe briefly the methodology for establishing and operating an internal dosimetry program in a complex waste processing facility, with special emphasis to the complexity of activities and problems and to the uncertainties in attributing doses from bioassay data. The purpose is not to make a fundamental study of the dosimetric models as such, but to give the viewpoint of the practical health physicist who is confronted with interpretation problems as the consequence of an intake of radionuclides. Some model parameters are discussed in relation to acute or chronic intakes. A practical contamination case is elaborated.