Hurst and Ritchie have presented a generalized concept for radiation dosimetry, which relates the response of detectors to the dose received by other systems of interest.
This formulation can explain as a whole the principles of many kinds of detectors and methods used in radiation dosimetry, and is characterized by the introduction of the operator acting upon the energy absorption distribution function in a detector. In this connection, a new method of determining the generalized operator is presented, which permits the treatment of any type of radiation dose with any detector system, and its characteristics are discussed. Shown as examples are the generalized operator in an Nal (Tl) scintillation detector for the determination of γ exposure (R), and the same in a liquid scintillation detector for neutron dose equivalent (rem) measurement.