M Naeem, Mujahid Khalid Ali, Amin Waqar, Fida Hussain.
Radioisotopes in laboratory: Radiation effects and guidelines for safe use.
Pak J Pathol Jan ;11(2):34-42.

The radioisotopes are used in laboratories for diagnosis and research purpose. The radiation emitted by these isotopes may damage living cells. The damage may cause cells either to die or to change their structure and function. Over an extended period, the body can repair most of the small damages from almost any cause, including radiation, but if the dose is acute, that is large dose in short period, more serious damage may occur. At lower doses, radiation exposure results in some likelihood of developing cancer and leukaemia and this likelihood decreases in proportion to the dose. Doses resulting from natural background radiation may produce a very small fraction of the number of recorded cancer cases. This property of causing cancer is one that radiation shares with a large number of chemicals and other materials, both natural and man-made. Exposure to radiation may also cause genetic defects that could appear in future generations. In this review article the effects of radiation, its protection and general rules for safe use have been described to help the laboratory personnel.

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