What is a common application of the Curie unit in radiology?

The Curie unit is a measure of radioactivity that quantifies the amount of radioactive material. It specifically represents the activity of a quantity of radioactive material that produces one decay event per second. Thus, it is commonly used in radiology to express the amount of radioactive isotopes utilized in various diagnostic and therapeutic applications, such as brachytherapy, where precise measurements of the activity of radioactive sources are critical for effective treatment planning.

The other options pertain to different aspects of radiation measurement. Measuring radiation exposure typically refers to the air dose received from ionizing radiation, often measured in roentgens or grays, which is not the focus of the Curie unit. The absorbed radiation dose, which is quantified in units like grays or rads, reflects the energy deposited in a material by radiation but does not describe the activity of the radioactive source itself. Measuring radiation intensity emphasizes the strength or amount of radiation at a certain point, often described in terms of dose rates, rather than the amount of radioactive material present. In this context, the Curie unit is most appropriately aligned with the measurement of radioactive material itself.