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Centigray [cGy]: A Practical Unit in Radiation Therapy

The centigray (cGy) is a unit of absorbed radiation dose equal to 0.01 grays (Gy), or one-hundredth of a gray. It is widely used in clinical settings, especially in radiation therapy, where doses need to be both precise and clinically meaningful. One centigray equals 10 milligrays (mGy), making it a convenient unit for prescribing and documenting treatment doses.

In cancer treatment, therapeutic radiation is typically delivered in fractions, with each session often delivering 180–200 cGy (or 1.8–2.0 Gy) to the target area. Using centigrays allows healthcare professionals to express these fractions in whole numbers, simplifying treatment planning and communication. For example, a full course of radiation therapy might involve a total dose of 6000 cGy over several weeks.

Outside of therapy, the cGy is less commonly used, but it remains important in any context where mid-level radiation doses are applied or studied. Its use bridges the gap between small exposures (measured in mGy or µGy) and large, high-dose applications (measured in Gy), making the centigray a key unit in applied radiation science.

Megagray [MGy]: An Extremely High Radiation Dose Unit

The megagray (MGy) is a unit of absorbed radiation dose equal to 1,000,000 grays (Gy), or one million joules of ionizing radiation energy absorbed per kilogram of matter. This represents an extraordinarily high dose of radiation—far beyond any level encountered in medicine, environmental monitoring, or typical industrial applications.

Megagrays are mostly theoretical or used in specialized scientific research and extreme industrial processes, such as:

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  Studying the radiation damage to materials used in nuclear reactors or space vehicles exposed to intense radiation fields over long periods.

  
  
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  Investigating radiation effects on polymers and other materials at extremely high doses for advanced material science.

  
  
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  Experimental physics involving high-energy radiation fields generated by particle accelerators or nuclear explosions.

  
  

Such doses are so extreme that they would completely destroy biological tissue and most materials, altering their molecular and structural properties drastically.

The megagray serves as a reminder of how radiation dose units can scale to cover an incredible range—from tiny fractions used in diagnostics and radiation protection to unimaginably large amounts relevant only in cutting-edge science and technology.