Macmillan Holdings, LLC. winninginvestor, QDnow, and Quick and Dirty Tips are trademarks of Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Where does it come from? How can it hurt you? How can we avoid it? Quick and Dirty Tips' newest expert, Everyday Einstein, answers these and many other questions about radiation. Carol everydayeinstein Thank you Dr. Falin!! http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=60405#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=60405#Comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:36:31 GMT dfsodifsdf everydayeinstein Actually amount does play a large role! Not just type, There is actually zero evidence showing ionizing radiation causes any health defects in small amounts and is actually a natural thing to be exposed to in small amounts, and may play a role in evolution and other life functions. Some types of ionizing radiation are actually necessary in small amounts for some organisms, such as UV radiation for plant growth cycles. The "Zero Tolerance" policy is not due to the "Fact" that ionizing radiation is harmful in any amounts, it is because of society out of proportion fear of radiation. There is no connection to normal ionizing radiation exposure (ie natural ionizing radiation from the sun) and health problems including cancer. http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=59160#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=59160#Comments Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:54:19 GMT M. everydayeinstein Love the analogy. Clear and easy to understand for lay people. http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=51299#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=51299#Comments Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:11:11 GMT Everyday Einstein everydayeinstein @andy and @some one I considered using debits instead of credits but decided not to because radiation is something you accumulate, not something you give up. However if the numbers bother you sufficiently, feel free to reverse all the signs : ) http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50721#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50721#Comments Thu, 17 May 2012 19:24:26 GMT andy everydayeinstein Your cash comparison created a confusing kerfuffle. You add more confusion to a complex topic by switching debits and credits, clearly illustrated by "some one", making it seem GOOD to get radiation poisoning! I'd turn down any job that pays me to get sick and die. Props for trying though, man. http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50630#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50630#Comments Tue, 15 May 2012 01:41:40 GMT Everyday Einstein everydayeinstein @Dave I used sieverts because that's the SI unit. As I mentioned in the article the United States is one of the only places still using the older rems unit. You can convert between them easily enough though as 1 Sievert = 100 rems. @FredB There was a study published in 2004 by the American Heart Association concerning radiation exposure during catheter ablation. According to the current school of thought, the risk of acute radiation exposure from catheter ablation is very low. The study did find that there is a slight elevated risk of cancer from the treatment (0.15% for female patients and 0.21% for male patients). (http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/110/19/3003.full) http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50500#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50500#Comments Wed, 09 May 2012 11:40:52 GMT Dave everydayeinstein Why sievert? Why not roentgen equivalent man? http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50494#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50494#Comments Wed, 09 May 2012 05:12:02 GMT FredB everydayeinstein Catheter ablation to treat atrial fibrillation has a patient in a fluoroscope continuously for four hours or more to guide the catheters within the heart. How much radiation is that? http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50453#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50453#Comments Mon, 07 May 2012 16:22:43 GMT some one everydayeinstein I think your analogy would be easier to understand if you put it in terms of debits rather than credits, and perhaps multiply the numbers by 100 or so. "If the average person [has to pay $10,000] in radiation money in a short time period, their blood chemistry will start to be affected; at around [$50,000] they’ll start to experience nausea and vomiting; and at somewhere between [$80,000 - $100,000] they’ll start to see hair loss and internal hemorrhaging. [Having to pay $400,000] or higher is typically fatal." See what I mean? This also lets you make better sense of cumulative vs. acute exposure. If I have to pay $400,000 all at one time, I'd probably go bankrupt, but I could pay that much out over a lifetime and survive, perhaps with adverse effects on my overall financial stability - having to make a payment every month could leave me at a greater risk for adverse financial events. Similarly, 4 Sv might kill me, but the same exposure over time wouldn't, although it might increase my cancer risk. http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50451#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50451#Comments Mon, 07 May 2012 15:20:40 GMT Sam Engebretsen everydayeinstein Hi Einstein!! while we didn't follow every word, we loved it!! I liked the whole analogy with the radiation dollars. do your radiation dollars add up so that by the time you are 100, you'll have at least $310 radiation dollars? Sam http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50411#Comments http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx?commentid=50411#Comments Sat, 05 May 2012 05:35:00 GMT Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:36:31 GMT http://everydayeinstein.quickanddirtytips.com/radiation.aspx feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Managing Editor) feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Webmaster) en-us