mSv

Units & Measurements abbreviation · Metric and SI Unit

mSv
Stands forMillisievert
CategoriesUnits & Measurements

mSv stands for Millisievert, a metric and SI unit abbreviation.

Practical unit for medical imaging and background radiation doses. A chest X-ray delivers about 0.1 mSv, an abdominal CT scan roughly 8 to 10 mSv, and a coast-to-coast US flight about 0.035 mSv.

Example: An abdominal CT exposes the patient to roughly 10 mSv, about three years of natural background radiation.

Usage notes

Dose limits are written in this unit: the ICRP recommends that public exposure from artificial sources other than medicine stay below 1 mSv per year. The average American receives about 6 mSv per year in total, with medical imaging the largest human-made source. The older millirem converts at 1 mSv = 100 mrem.

More metric and SI unit abbreviations

  • mg – Milligram
  • MKS – Meter-kilogram-second system
  • mL – Milliliter
  • mm – Millimeter
  • mmol – Millimole
  • mol – Mole
  • Mt – Megaton (TNT equivalent)
  • m² – Square meter
  • m³ – Cubic meter
  • N – Newton
  • ng – Nanogram
  • nm – Nanometer

See all 64 metric and SI unit abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.