text: The SI unit of kerma is the gray (Gy) (or joule per kilogram), the same as the unit of absorbed dose. However, kerma can be different from absorbed dose, depending on the energies involved. This is because ionization energy is not accounted for. While kerma approximately equals absorbed dose at low energies, kerma is much higher than absorbed dose at higher energies, because some energy escapes from the absorbing volume in the form of bremsstrahlung (X-rays) or fast-moving electrons, and is not counted as absorbed dose.