Radiation Health & SafetyQuestion 10 of 100
A patient says, "I had x-rays two years ago, so that dose is gone now." What is the accurate response about radiation effects?
a.Correct, the body fully repairs all radiation damage within one year
b.Radiation effects are cumulative, so unrepaired damage adds up over a lifetime
c.Radiation leaves the body only after the patient drinks extra fluids
d.Dental radiation causes no biological change at all
Explanation
Radiation effects are cumulative: although the body repairs much of the damage, unrepaired cellular injury accumulates over a person's lifetime, which is why every exposure must be justified. The body does not fully reverse all damage on a set schedule, and drinking fluids has no bearing on absorbed dose from x-rays. Dental x-rays use low doses but still produce ionization in tissue, so claiming no biological change is inaccurate.
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