Rad is indeed dose, measured in ergs per gram of material doing the absorbing. But that is not usable as the different types of radiation impart differing amounts of energy. Hence, what we care about in Humans is rem - Roentgen Equivalent Man.
So, an ignorant public speaks of ‘dose’. And we quibble over something that is beyond most.
The point remains - WHAT was the dose? Or exposure, if you so desire.
If the ‘normal’ exposure or dose (pick your poison) is 10 mR (or mRem) and the patients received 80, I say BIG WHOOP DEE DOO. No harm or foul there.
Without that number the whole exercise is based on the ‘fear factor’.
If you understood radiation safety better, FRiend,
you would understand that a technician running a CT
machine (what this thread is about) can control
the dose (a physical number), but cannot control
the exposure (a biological effect number dependent
upon what is irradiated).
And rad is the dose delivered (measured at a specific
point, like the midplane).
Rad (dose delivered) is the correct parameter.