Radiation is something that we are exposed to on a daily basis; it is in the air we breathe. Radiation is used in hospitals, research labs, and in many medical procedures. It is also commonly used as a treatment for cancer. In some cases it helps and in others it does not. Radiation is used for cancer treatment because it kills cells. The issue is that it is killing healthy cells at the same time it is killing cancerous cells. Even though medical imaging emits radiation, it makes it possible for us to detect injuries and significant diseases. Radiation is measured in a few different ways, and has numerous side effects on our body depending on the dosage. We are exposed to it in the environment unintentionally, and at times in treatment purposely. Additionally, there is current research in effort to reduce the amount of radiation in medical procedures. We must first understand what radiation is. Radiation is when excess energy is released. This process happens when unstable atoms become stable. This happens to radioactive materials. There are three common types of radiation emissions. They are alpha particles, beta particles, and Gamma rays. Alpha particles can be dangerous if they are inhaled or ingested. They can also enter your body through a cut, but it cannot bypass human skin. Beta particles can be very dangerous to your health if they are ingested, inhaled, or if it enters through a cut. It is important to know that it can at times enter through your skin, unlike alpha particles. In most cases, it is best to have a thicker layer covering your skin so that you’re positive it does not go through your skin. The most severe type of radiation emission is through Gamma rays. Like the other two, it can cause severe damage if it is inhaled or ingested. The significant thing about this type, is that it will go through skin, wood, and other substances. In order to fully
When taking a radiograph there are some precautions that can be taken to reduce some of the radiation that can be exposed to a patient, what would be used on all patients is call a lead apron and thyroid collar, these aprons are used to protect the patients that may be a bit more radiosensitive and also may give the patient a little of reassurance that they will be protected. “Radiosensitivity is the relative susceptibility of cells, tissues, organs, organisms, or other substances to the injurious action of radiation.”
According to Helibron and Seidel (2011) nuclear medicine began as a simple experiment in the early twentieth century by George de Hevesy. De Hevesy started the experiment by deciding to test the effects of radiation on living things, beginning with bean plants, then onto furred animals, and then continued onto finding the effects of radiation on the human body, when he did this he became the first person to ever use radiation on a human being. He along with his partner E. Hofer, in 1931, consumed Deuterium which they had diluted with tea and found that traces of radioactivity stayed within their bodies for between eight to eighteen days. This was the first known use of radiation on humans (p. 1). This was just the beginning though, as time moved on the use of nuclear energy advanced and as it advanced it began to bleed into more subjects than those that it had been used in before, such as, nuclear medicine. Although it has its drawbacks, such as nuclear waste, there are many different benefits to nuclear medicine. Examples of such would be advances in therapy and treatment of disease...
The light released by the sun consists of three frequency bands of radiation: infrared, visible and ultraviolet. Out of the three frequency bands, the ultraviolet light is damaging to most humans. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation divided into three categories: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVA radiation passes through the skin without burning the surface layers. These rays can penetrate to a depth of 0.04 inches and causes damage to cell membranes and the immune system. UVA radiation has been linked to skin cancer, early aging and wrinkling of the skin. UVB radiation is responsible for the painful red burn people get after a long period of exposure to the sun. UVB rays also cause skin cancer and damage to the cornea and lens of the eye. The third category, UVC radiation, is generally absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere and is not considered harmful.
There are essentially three main types of cancer treatments; surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Surgery allows doctors to effectively remove tumors from a clear plane. Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat the tumor; but often the drugs affect other healthy cells in the process. Using radiation as a treatment can be either precise or vague. Many health stigmas can come from the vague forms of radiation or conventional radiation therapy. Conventional radiation treats both the unhealthy and healthy cells, therefore exposing healthy cells to harmful radiation (Radiation Oncology, 2011, p.6). When healthy cells are exposed to gamma radiation they are also exposed to ionizing radiation. The ionization can cause “breakage of chemical bonds or oxidization (addition of oxygen atoms)” in a cell; the main impact of this is on a cell’s DNA, if two strands of DNA break it can result in “mutations, chromosome aberrations, ...
“External radiation uses a machine that directs high-energy rays from outside the body into the tumor and some normal nearby tissue.” (American Cancer Society p. 5) After this treatment the patient will not be radioactive, but treatment is delivered in small doses and can last several weeks. “Internal radiation or brachytherapy, uses a radioactive source, called an implant, that’s put inside the body in or near the tumor.” (American Cancer Society p. 9) It may be placed in an organ or in the cancerous tumor. The patient will be radioactive for a short time. Due to the implant being near the source of cancer a larger dose can be delivered to the patient. “Systemic radiation uses radioactive drugs to treat certain type of cancer.” (American Cancer Society p. 12) The drugs used are called radiopharmaceuticals and can be delivered orally or intravenously. “They collect where the cancer is to give off their radiation and kill the cancer cells.” (American Cancer Society p. 12) After this treatment the patient will be radioactive, and will take a few days to be removed from the patients
There are numerous reasons as to why I want to pursue my dream of becoming a radiation therapist. The most important reason is because I love to help other people overcome any problem they are facing. However saving a patient’s life through radiation would be even more amazing. Not to mention, after obtaining the proper education, the salary I receive will be fairly high. Cancer has recently become a part of many families, including my own. I see what a few of my family members are going through and having to struggle with every single day in order to live to see another day, The struggles that they go through have opened my mind in many ways, I wish I was the one that they could come to for a chance of survival, but I can’t, so in order for me to help cancer patients fight for their lives, I will obtain the proper education, licenses, and possess the numerous skills needed by a radiation therapist..
Radiation has always been in everyday life even before Roentgen discovered x-ray. The mountains give off natural radiation, other forms of radiation are coal burning power plants, x-rays from a TV, and an airplane ride. The average dose from background radiation is about 360 mrem every year. There are two types of radiation, nonionizing and ionizing radiation. Examples of nonionizing radiation are microwaves and radio waves broadcasting. Ionizing radiation refers to gamma and x-rays. Ionizing radiation means that the rays are able to remove an electron from the atom then ions can be formed. The ions can cause damage when reacting with other atoms. Cells are able to be repaired if low dose are received. However, if cells get a high dose, the cells will be damaged or possibly die. If the cell is damaged permanently then it is referred to as a mutated cell.
Ionizing radiation has enough energy to break chemical bonds and knock electrons out of atoms, some examples of these are x-rays and ultraviolet light rays from the sun. That is why radiation is a way to treat cancer because of the strong energy it has to destroy a cancer cell, actually any cell in the body. That’s the issue with radiation therapy, is it worth the damage? It can damage any cell, whether it is healthy or cancerous, which can cause a major affect in the body later on. Although it sounds scary, there are other types of treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, etc.
I. Radiation therapy hasn't always been something everyone found to be safe,usable, or effective.It has been cosidered dangerous and sometimes fatal, some also believe radiation therapy will cause the patient to not to get better but to make get worse and very ill. Some people with open minds ponder the question does radiation therapy really cause you to get worse?Radiation therapy can do you good because it kills of cancer cells which could save your life depending on the severity of it. Radiation therapy doesn’t cause harm.
The discovery of fission occurred during a time of great turmoil. Two German physicists then later verified by two Jewish refugee physicists discovered it. Italian Physicists Enrico Fermi later discovered the unique quality of fission that was induced by neutrons but also produced neutrons. This created the idea of a self-sustaining chain reaction, and the large amount of energy found within a nucleus was now accessible at a large scale (Nuclear weapons section, para 1).
Nuclear Medicine is the use of radioisotopes for diagnosis, treatment, and research. Radioactive chemical tracers emit gamma rays which provides diagnostic information about a person's anatomy and the functioning of specific organs. Radioisotopes are also utilizes in treatments of diseases such as cancer. It is estimated that approximately one in two people in Western countries are likely to experience the benefits of nuclear medicine in their lifetime.
A radioisotope is an isotope that emits radiation as it has nuclear instability(Prostate Cancer; Fusion imaging helps target greater doses of radiation).Those who are not too familiar with radioisotopes may think their use is for harmful radiation, nuclear weapons, and the possibility of turning into a giant, raging, green monster. However, there are much more positive uses for radioisotopes. There have been many medical advances thanks to the benefit and practice of radioisotopes in nuclear medicine. These advances have been able to diagnose and treat a variety of diseases.
The Industrial Revolution sparked a need for large sources of energy. Human and animal labor could not provide the power necessary to power industrial machinery, railroads, and ships. The steam engine and later the internal combustion engine provided the bulk of the energy required by the industrial age. Today most nations are still heavily reliant on energy that comes from combustion. Usually coal, petrolium, and natural gas are used. Some hydroelectric, wind power, and nuclear fission sources are used, but in the US they accounted for less than 20% of the total energy consumption in 1997 (1). Many experts are worried that natural resources such as coal and petrolium are being depleted faster than they are being replenished, which could result in an energy crisis. Nuclear fission produces highly radioactive waste that is expensive to dispose of properly. Nuclear fusion reactors would produce much less radioactive waste and would be more efficient than nuclear fission, but to date there have been no nuclear fusion reactors that have generated usable energy output. Why is fusion power, which could be very beneficial, so hard to come by?
Heat and x-rays are an example of radiation. A type of non-ionizing radiation is radiofrequency radiation. (Cancer 1) If radiofrequency radiation is engrossed in large amounts of materials containing water and food it can produce heat. This can lead to burns, tissue damage, and harm DNA cells. Heat is the main effect of exposure to radiofrequency. (Cancer 2)