web blue book - chapter 37 FORMATTED 2

Ionising radiation Introduction Radiation from radioactive decay causes the material it passes through to become ionised, hence the term ionising radiation . Ionising radiation attacks the cells of the body by producing chemical changes in the cell DNA, leading to abnormal cell growth. The effect on body tissues depend on: the type of radiation the dose and duration of exposure whether the source is internal or external to the body. Ionising radiation is commonly encountered in healthcare through: X-rays radioactive materials used as tracers to help diagnose diseases radiotherapy occasionally treating people who have been exposed to excessive amounts of radiation, either deliberately or through an accident. The use of these procedures in healthcare has to be justified by the benefit of the patient exposure to a small amount of radiation may carry a tiny risk for health, but this may be outweighed by the benefits of diagnosing and then being able to treat serious conditions.

X-rays don’t make the patient radioactive and expose them to low doses of radiation – typically a chest X-ray is equivalent to the normal background dose

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