quality factor

qual·i·ty fac·tor (QF),

a factor by which absorbed radiation doses are multiplied to obtain, for radiation protection purposes, a quantity that expresses the approximate biologic effectiveness of the absorbed dose. Compare: RBE, relative biologic effectiveness.

quality factor

a term that expresses the biological damage that radiation can produce. Doses of different types of radiation can be set equal to one another if the actual absorbed dose is multiplied by the quality factor. The product is called the dose equivalent, measured in sieverts or rem.

qual·i·ty fac·tor

(kwah'li-tē fak'tŏr)

Used in radiation protection to account for the differences in the biologic effects from various types of radiation.

quality factor

Abbreviation: Q

In radiology, a scale used to account for the biological effects of different radiations. Factors include beta, electron, and gamma x-radiation (Q = 1), thermal neutrons (Q = 5), and alpha neutrons and protons (Q = 20).

See also: factor