Radiation protection standards: Their evolution from science to philosophy

The concept of applying constraints on individual sources to a small fraction of the public dose limit has been deemed inappropriate when shielding the medical X-ray sources. This represents a broad-based consensus of medical physics and radiological societies in the United States, and the report series on the shielding design for medical X-ray sources (including dental, X-ray imaging and therapeutic X ray) from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) utilises 1 mSv y-1 as a source control limit. In the present study, the rationale for such a conclusion is discussed, and a somewhat critical look at the current model of radiation protection of the public is made. (authors)