Expert Cautions On Effects Of Radition

A consultant in Nuclear Medicine and Radiation has said that although frequent exposure by humans to radiation can be hazardous, it is also beneficial.

“Frequent exposure of radiation could cause body cells to become cancerous but at the same time a calculated high dose of radiation can also destroy cancer cells, Dr Jawa Mohammed said.

According to Mohammed, radiation is a form of energy that travels in mass, comprising ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.

Mohammed explained that the ionizing radiation in x-rays and Gama rays could cause tissue damage to the body while non-ionizing radiations in bulbs have less effect on tissues.

He stated that radiation exposure could be medical and non-medical, while x-rays and Gama rays are examples of medical radiation.

“Non-medical radiation is emitted from instruments such as cell phones, radio waves, television and computer screens,” he said.

The consultant said the amount of radiation penetrating the body at a time might not pose a problem but the frequency and duration of each exposure, adding that a patient who underwent an x-ray for a diagnosis was only exposed to a minimal amount of radiation which would have no effect.

“However, such a person could be affected if exposed to smaller doses over a period of  time.

Radiation interacts with water which is the most abundant chemical substance in the body, constituting 97 per cent of the human body.

The interaction is called hydrolysis and can cause mutation of cells or genes, resulting in cancer.

Mohammed stated that such exposure could interfere with the genes of women and adversely affect their ability to reproduce, leading to congenital abnormalities.

He said that radiation also has a huge benefit in diagnosis, therapy and treatment of various diseases.

“If the exact position of the cancer is calculated and the right dose of radiation is administered, the cancer can be destroyed while preserving the surrounding tissues of the patient. “

He added that scanning machines used on expectant mothers is low in radiation, having little effect on both the mother and the baby.