Calculated Attenuation and Energy Absorption Coefficients for ICRP Reference Man (1975) Organs and Tissues

Abstract

Abstract

Mass attenuation and energy absorption coefficients for 10 keV-100 MeV photons have been calculated for 69 organs and tissues listed in the recent ICRP Reference Man document. Anomalies in the quoted elemental compositions are discussed and comparisons made with the previous Reference Man document published in 1959. The effects of photoelectric absorption edges from the high atomic number trace elements are analysed. Polynomial expressions of degree 4 have been derived for each tissue, for all of the partial interactions which enables attenuation and absorption data to be calculated at any energy within the range quoted earlier. The tissues are categorised and interaction data and polynomial coefficients are presented for four important biological systems.