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Biological Effects of Radiation-Ch 5, Principles of Radiology

Terms in this set (69)

acute effects
short term, the effects of radiation that manifest themselves in minutes, days or weeks after exposure
ALARA principle
"as low as reasonably achievable" cost and convenience to the patient
background radiation
the ever present ionizing radiation in the environment. sources=cosmic rays, radioactive materials, industrial waste and nuclear fallout
cell recovery
the process by which cells heal themselves from the effects of radiation
chronic effects
long term, effects of radiation that can appear years or decades after exposure to radiation.
critical organs
lymphoid
bone marrow
testes
intestines
skin
cornea (eye)
dose
the amount of radiation energy absorbed per unit mass of tissue at a particular site.
dose equivalent
a concept that allows for the fact that not all radiations are identical in biological effects. the dose equivalent is expressed in rems or sieverts.
erythema dose
250 R in a 14 day period to produce reddening of the skin
exposure
a measure of the ionization in the air produced by xray or gamma radiation
thompson
unmodified or coherent scatter
8%
no change to absorbing atom but a photon or scattered radiation is produced
photoelectric
gives up all energy
30%
photon can collide giving up all energy to dislodge electron from orbit.
compton
gives up part of its energy
62%
genetic cells
changes not seen in exposed patients but are passed onto succeeding generations
indirect effects of radiation
cell damage caused when the cells hit directly by radiation produce toxins that affect cells not in the radiation beam
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