Which statement is true about somatic effects?

Which statement is true about somatic effects?

• A. They are not dose-related
• B. They occur in the irradiated person during life
• C. They only occur in offspring
• D. They are instantaneous

Answer: (B)

Somatic effects are injuries that occur in the person who has been irradiated, and they can appear at any time during that person's life after exposure. They are related to the dose received—higher doses tend to produce more severe effects, and some effects show a threshold while others increase in probability with dose. They are not limited to offspring (that describes genetic effects) and they are not necessarily instantaneous, since many somatic effects have a latency period before they become evident. This makes the statement that somatic effects occur in the irradiated person during life the best description.

Somatic effects are injuries that occur in the person who has been irradiated, and they can appear at any time during that person's life after exposure. They are related to the dose received—higher doses tend to produce more severe effects, and some effects show a threshold while others increase in probability with dose. They are not limited to offspring (that describes genetic effects) and they are not necessarily instantaneous, since many somatic effects have a latency period before they become evident. This makes the statement that somatic effects occur in the irradiated person during life the best description.