UnitSnapRadiation Dose converter
This category measures radiation dose in terms of its biological effect. The sievert (Sv) is the SI unit of equivalent and effective dose, which weights absorbed energy by the type of radiation and the sensitivity of the tissues exposed. Because one sievert is a large dose, everyday values are usually given in millisieverts (mSv) or microsieverts (μSv).
Convert between 4 radiation dose units. Pick any two units below; results update as you type.
Popular radiation dose conversions
About radiation dose units
In the United States, the older rem (roentgen equivalent man) is still common, and 1 rem is exactly 0.01 Sv, or 10 mSv. Worldwide, the average dose from natural background radiation is roughly 2.4 mSv per year, though local values vary widely with geology and altitude.
The sievert should not be confused with the gray, which measures absorbed dose as energy per kilogram of tissue without biological weighting. Dose rates, such as μSv per hour on survey meters, describe exposure over time.
Tips
- A survey meter reading in μSv/h is a dose rate; multiply by hours of exposure to estimate total dose.
- Millirem (mrem) values in US documents convert to microsieverts by multiplying by 10.
- The sievert is a protection quantity for low doses; high acute doses are normally assessed in grays.
All radiation dose units
| Unit | Symbol | Value in microsieverts |
|---|---|---|
| Microsieverts | μSv | 1 μSv = 1 μSv |
| Millisieverts | mSv | 1 mSv = 1,000 μSv |
| Sieverts | Sv | 1 Sv = 1,000,000 μSv |
| Rem | rem | 1 rem = 10,000 μSv |
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Factors: NIST SP 811 · SI Brochure · NIST Handbook 44 — Updated