How do OSLDs, TLDs, and electronic personal dosimeters differ in how they measure dose and provide readings?

• A. EPDs provide real-time dose rate and alarms; OSLDs can be reused after readout.
• B. All provide real-time dose rate.
• C. TLDs/OSLDs provide cumulative dose at readout; EPDs provide real-time dose rate and alarms; OSLDs can be reused after readout.
• D. EPDs are read only after exposure.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is real-time feedback versus retrospective dose measurement. Electronic personal dosimeters monitor continuously and display the dose rate as exposure happens, often with audible or visual alarms when thresholds are reached. In contrast, both TLDs and OSLDs store energy during exposure and don’t give a reading until they’re read with a specialized instrument, which yields the total accumulated dose for that period. OSLDs have an added practical advantage: after readout, they can be reset and reused for future measurements. TLDs can also be reused after proper processing, but their reading process is separate from real-time monitoring. So, the description that TLDs/OSLDs provide cumulative dose at readout, EPDs provide real-time dose rate and alarms, and OSLDs can be reused after readout best matches how these dosimeters actually work.