Table 1.
Absolute and relative body composition for adult Caucasian men and women extracted from “Reference Man Table” 2.8 in the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP Publication 89, Valentin 2001). Relative organ mass standardized by dividing by body mass. (used with permission of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute).
| Organ as % of body mass | Organ mass for adult male | Organ mass for adult female | Female:male ratio of relative organ mass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total body mass | 73 kg | 60 kg | |
| Adipose tissue | 25% | 37% | 150% |
| Skeletal muscle | 40% | 29% | 73% |
| Cortical bone | 6.0% | 5.3% | 88% |
| Trabecular bone | 1.51% | 1.33% | 88% |
| Cartilage | 1.51% | 1.50% | 99% |
| Blood | 7.7% | 6.8% | 89% |
| Skin | 4.5% | 3.8% | 85% |
| GI Tract | 1.66% | 1.9% | 114% |
| Lungs | 0.69% | 0.7% | 102% |
| Liver | 2.45% | 2.33% | 95% |
| Kidney | 0.43% | 0.46% | 108% |
| Brain | 2.0% | 2.2% | 109% |