Which of the following is the most sensitive personnel monitoring device?

Which of the following is the most sensitive personnel monitoring device?

• A. Geiger-Mueller detector
• B. OSL dosimeter
• C. TLD
• D. Film badge

Answer: (B)

In personnel monitoring, sensitivity means the ability to detect very small doses and report an accurate cumulative exposure over the time the device is worn. A Geiger-Mueller detector is excellent for sensing radiation events in the environment, but it’s not designed to accumulate and quantify an individual’s dose over a wear period, so it isn’t the best choice for personal monitoring. Film badges are simple and can indicate dose, but their sensitivity to very low doses is limited and they don’t provide the precision and dynamic range needed for fine dosimetry. Thermoluminescent dosimeters are more sensitive than film and can measure a wide range of doses, yet they require heating to read out and have limitations in re-reading and fading. Optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters use a crystal that stores energy from radiation and, when stimulated with light, emits luminescence proportional to the absorbed dose. This technology offers very high sensitivity, capable of detecting very small doses, and provides precise, wide-range dose measurements. It can also be read multiple times with consistent results, making it particularly well-suited for accurate personal monitoring. That combination—extremely low-dose detectability, precise measurement, and practical readout flexibility—makes the OSL dosimeter the most sensitive choice among these options.

In personnel monitoring, sensitivity means the ability to detect very small doses and report an accurate cumulative exposure over the time the device is worn. A Geiger-Mueller detector is excellent for sensing radiation events in the environment, but it’s not designed to accumulate and quantify an individual’s dose over a wear period, so it isn’t the best choice for personal monitoring. Film badges are simple and can indicate dose, but their sensitivity to very low doses is limited and they don’t provide the precision and dynamic range needed for fine dosimetry. Thermoluminescent dosimeters are more sensitive than film and can measure a wide range of doses, yet they require heating to read out and have limitations in re-reading and fading.

Optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters use a crystal that stores energy from radiation and, when stimulated with light, emits luminescence proportional to the absorbed dose. This technology offers very high sensitivity, capable of detecting very small doses, and provides precise, wide-range dose measurements. It can also be read multiple times with consistent results, making it particularly well-suited for accurate personal monitoring. That combination—extremely low-dose detectability, precise measurement, and practical readout flexibility—makes the OSL dosimeter the most sensitive choice among these options.