The relative biological effectiveness of radiations of different qual￾ity is examined in detail in this report. The analyses were performed
by Scientific Committee 40 of the NCRP which is charged with the
responsibility for analysis and evaluation of radiobiological data
relevant to radiation protection recommendations.
This report is a follow-on to the previous report of Scientific Com￾mittee 40 on its evaluation of the effects of dose rate which was
published in 1980 as NCRP Report No. 64 entitled Influence ofDose
And Its Distribution In Time On Dose-Response Relationships For
Low LET Radiations. Initially, it had been planned that the effects
of dose and dose rate and relative biological effectiveness of radia￾tions of different quality would be addressed in the same report.
However, later, the Committee recommended publishing two sepa￾rate reports which resulted in the publication of NCRP Report No.
64 and this report in succession.
The Committee intentionally has not made recommendations on
how to use the available RBE data in defining a quality factor (Q)
for any of the radiations studied. Rather, the Committee performed
a comprehensive compilation of RBE data across many different
biological systems for numerous radiations of different quality. The
evaluation of this data with regard to recommendations for Q will
be performed by or under the umbrella of Scientific Committee 1 on
Basic Protection Criteria.
The International System of Units (SO is used in the report in
accordance with the procedures set forth in NCRP Report No. 82
entitled, SZ Units In Radiation Protection And Measurements.