Chapter 7: Molecular and Cellular Radiation Biology Flashcards
Branch of biology concerned with the effects of ionizing radiation on living systems
Radiation Biology
What does Radiation Biology include of:
- The sequence of events occurring after the absorption of energy from ionizing radiation
- The action of the living system to compensate for the consequences of this energy assimilation
- Injury to the living system that may occur from irradiation
is a complex interconnected living system composed of very large numbers of various types of cells, most of which may be damaged by radiation.
The human body
Damages living systems by ionizing the atoms comprising the molecular structure of these systems
Ionizing radiation
what does ionization mean?
removal of an electron
free radicals are considered your what
your biological damage
Biologic damage begins with the ionization produced by various types of radiation such as:
- x-rays
- gamma rays
- alpha particles
- beta particles
- protons
Ionized atoms will not what?
ionized atoms will not bond properly in molecules
x-rays are considered
man made and can penetrate through more
gamma rays, alpha particles, and beta particles are considered
natural
Can only travel so far
- effect heavier
- more superficial can’t penetrate
alpha particles
is composed of two protons and two neutrons and therefore carries an electric charge of +2
has a number of 20
Alpha particles
what charge do electrons have?
electrons have a negative charge
What 3 things varies among the different types of radiation?
- charge
- mass
- energy
*These attributes determine the extent to which different radiation modalities transfer energy into biologic tissue.
What are the three important concepts that help us to understand the way ionizing radiation causes injury and how the effects may vary in biologic tissue?
- Linear energy transfer (LET)
- Relative biologic effectiveness (RBE)
- Oxygen enhancement ratio (OER)
What kind of relationship does LET and RBE have?
directly proportional
AS LET increases
RBE also increases
As LET increases
biological damage also increases
The average energy deposited per unit length of track by ionizing radiation as it passes through and interacts with a medium along its path
Linear Energy Transfer (LET)
What does LET stand for
Linear Energy Transfer
what units is LET described in
Is described in units of keV/μm
Is a very important factor in assessing potential tissue and organ damage from exposure to ionizing radiation
LET
Radiation categories according to LET:
Low-linear energy transfer radiation
High-linear energy transfer radiation
1 micron [µm] =
10 ^−6 m