Bushong: Radiologic Science for Technologists, 11th Edition
Chapter 30: Fundamental Principles of Radiobiology
Answers to Challenge Questions
1. a. Measure of the rate at which energy is transferred from a particular type of radiation
to soft tissue. Approximately 3 keV/μm for diagnostic x-rays.
b. Orthovoltage x-radiation in the 200 to 250 kVp range.
c. A measure of the increased radiosensitivity of tissue in the presence of oxygen.
d. One mode of cellular recovery from radiation damage.
e. Continuing a straight-line relationship into an unmeasured area.
f. Dose below which no effect occurs.
g. Radiation effect that kills a cell before its next division.
h. Extending exposure of a total dose by delivering continuously but at a reduced rate.
i. Value assigned to different types of radiation based on their LET.
j. An early radiobiologist.
2. RBE = dose of standard radiation to produce an effect, divided by dose of test radiation
to produce the same effect.
3. Patients receive the radiation dose at the same dose rate but broken into equal values
and given over time (a little today, a little next month, and perhaps a little next year).
Radiation oncology patients receive prescribed doses fractionated daily.
4. To force oxygen into tumors and make them more radiosensitive.
5. OER = dose necessary under anoxic conditions to produce a given effect divided by
the dose necessary under aerobic oxygenated conditions to produce the same effect.
6. The younger the tissue, the more radiosensitive it is.
7. Outside of the human body. At the cellular or molecular level.
8. Methotrexate, actinomycin D, hydroxyurea, vitamin K, halogenated pyrimidines.
9. Cysteine, cysteamine, and other sulfhydryl groups.
10. No. To be effective, they must be administered at toxic levels.
11. Graphical representation of radiation dose and effect.
12. An equal amount of radiation dose will not necessarily produce an equal response.
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Answers to Challenge Questions 30-2
13. Nonthreshold implies that no dose of radiation is so small that there is no degree of
risk.
14. Stem cells are most sensitive. Young tissue and organs are more radiosensitive than
old tissues and organs. Tissue in a high state of metabolic activity also has high
radiosensitivity. As cellular proliferation increases, so does cellular radiosensitivity.
15. RBE of 60Co = 8 Gyt/9.4 Gyt = 0.85.
16. OER = 4 Gyt/1.5 Gyt = 2.7.
17. The units of LET are keV/mm.
18. With increasing LET, RBE increases to a maximum value of approximately 3.0 (see
Figure 30-1).
19. Occupational radiation exposure is fractionated.
20. OER is LET-dependent. OER is highest for low-LET radiation and decreases for
high-LET radiation (see Figure 30-2).
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