ALARA

ALARA is an acronym for an important principle in radiation protectionand stands for "As Low As Reasonably Achievable". The aim is to minimize the risk of radioactive exposure. This compromise is well illustrated in radiology. The application of radiationcan aid the patient by providing doctors with a medical diagnosis, but the exposure should be reasonably low enough to keep the statistical probability of cancersor sarcomas(stochastic effects), or to induce deterministic effects (eg. skin reddening or cataracts)

This policy is based on the principle that any amount of radiation exposure, no matter how small, can increase the chance of negative biological effects, like cancer. It is also based on the principle that the probabilty of the occurrence of negative effects of radiation exposure increases with cumulative lifetime dose.

There are four major things one should monitor when exercising the ALARA concept.

• Shielding - Use proper barriers to block ionizing radiation.
• Time - Spend as little time in radiation fields as possible.
• Distance - Stay as far away from radioactive sources and fields as possible.
• Amount - Use as little radioactive material as possible.

See also

• Alpha particles
• Beta particles
• Gamma particles
• Lead
• Ionizing radiation
• Radioactivityca:Alara

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALARA Wikipedia article ALARA.