High profile mishaps have rekindled distrust of radiation. The 1979 partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant
in the midst of Pennsylvania's population centers caused near panic. Far more devastating was the 1986 explosion of a
Ukrainian nuclear reactor at Chernobyl, killing 31. With an estimated 36,000,000 curies of radioactivity released,
damaging long-term effects potentially could be far-reaching.

While the dangers of radiation exposure were known quite early, many disregarded the warnings. Before examining a patient, radiologists, or their technical assistants, would place their own hands in the X-ray beam as a test for optimum exposure.While the dangers of radiation exposure were known quite early, many disregarded the warnings. Before examining a patient, radiologists, or their technical assistants, would place their own hands in the X-ray beam as a test for optimum exposure. Early entrepreneurs saw financial gain in the new x-rays. Even Thomas Edison himself sought to develop a home fluoroscope but abandoned the idea when he and his assistant (who died of complications of radiation) were injured by the radiation.Early entrepreneurs saw financial gain in the new x-rays. Even Thomas Edison himself sought to develop a home fluoroscope but abandoned the idea when he and his assistant (who died of complications of radiation) were injured by the radiation. Marie Curie's constant exposure to radiation led to her contracting leukemia and her death in 1934. She is one of 169 early radiation workers in the Martyr's Memorial erected in Hamburg in 1936 by the German Roentgen Society to honor radium martyrs from 15 countries who by then had died.Marie Curie's constant exposure to radiation led to her contracting leukemia and her death in 1934. She is one of 169 early radiation workers in the Martyr's Memorial erected in Hamburg in 1936 by the German Roentgen Society to honor radium martyrs from 15 countries who by then had died. Workers who painted radium on the dials of watches and clocks for luminescence and who wet their brushes by drawing them through their lips developed an increased incidence of head and neck tumors. This is an autoradiograph taken of one such workers teeth.Workers who painted radium on the dials of watches and clocks for luminescence and who wet their brushes by drawing them through their lips developed an increased incidence of head and neck tumors. This is an autoradiograph taken of one such workers teeth. Thorotrast (thorium dioxide) was widely used as a contrast agent in the 1930s and 1940s until the dangers of its own radioactivity (it was an alpha emitter) became evident when patients developed liver tunors from its long-term effects.Thorotrast (thorium dioxide) was widely used as a contrast agent in the 1930s and 1940s until the dangers of its own radioactivity (it was an alpha emitter) became evident when patients developed liver tumors from its long-term effects. It is estimated that up to 10 million people received Thorotrast. It was a superb contrast agent but it was deposited in the reticuloendothelial system where it essentially remained for the lifetime of the patient delivering its own radiation to the liver, spleen and lymph nodes for decades. It is estimated that up to 10 million people received Thorotrast. It was a superb contrast agent but it was deposited in the reticuloendothelial system where it essentially remained for the lifetime of the patient delivering its own radiation to the liver, spleen and lymph nodes for decades. Despite knowledge about the power of the magnet in MRI units, accidents like this in which a chair is stuck in the magnet, do happen although much less frequently.Despite knowledge about the power of the magnet in MRI units, accidents like this in which a chair is stuck in the magnet do happen, although much less frequently. Prior to 1950, children who were thought to have an enlarged thymus were subjected to neck irradiation which caused shrinkage of the thymus but subsequently increased the incidence of thyroid carcinoma.Prior to 1950, children who were thought to have an enlarged thymus were subjected to neck irradiation which caused shrinkage of the thymus but subsequently increased the incidence of thyroid carcinoma.Lightbox Alternative by VisualLightBox.com v3.0
 

 

 

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