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Medical Definition of Radiation risks
1. The risks to health posed by exposure to radiation. Exposure comes from both natural sources and from man-made ones (medical and occupational). See: background radiation.Because any amount of radiation may cause cellular mutations, considerable effort has been made by government and independent researchers to establish exposure guidelines. In most cases, natural sources account for the bulk of received radiation, with artificial sources adding only a small percentage to the average annual dose. Public perception of the hazards of radiation is often at odds with scientific positions on the matter. In part, equivocal research results (as in attempts to assess the added cancer risk posed by mammograms) contribute to public fears. Some psychological studies have concluded that whether or not public fears of nuclear power plants and other radiation sources are justified, the added stress caused by such fears in itself constitutes a threat to health that should be addressed. (05 Mar 2000)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Radiation Risks
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