IONIZING RADIATION

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does ionizing radiation mean? 

• IONIZING RADIATION (noun)
  The noun IONIZING RADIATION has 1 sense:

1. high-energy radiation capable of producing ionization in substances through which it passes

  Familiarity information: IONIZING RADIATION used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IONIZING RADIATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

High-energy radiation capable of producing ionization in substances through which it passes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("ionizing radiation" is a kind of...):

radiation (energy that is radiated or transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ionizing radiation"):

alpha radiation; alpha ray (the radiation of alpha particles during radioactive decay)

beta radiation; beta ray; electron radiation (radiation of beta particles during radioactive decay)

cosmic ray (highly penetrating ionizing radiation of extraterrestrial origin; consisting chiefly of protons and alpha particles; collision with atmospheric particles results in rays and particles of many kinds)

neutron radiation (radiation of neutrons (as by a neutron bomb))

roentgen ray; X-radiation; X-ray; X ray (electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength produced when high-speed electrons strike a solid target)

 Context examples 

Cancer therapy using ionizing radiation to < 50% of the body.

(Limited Radiation Therapy, NCI Thesaurus)

Treatment with radiation, generally meaning exposure to ionizing radiation or radiation of wavelengths shorter than those of visible light.

(Irradiation, NCI Thesaurus)

At high doses, ionizing radiation increases chemical activity inside cells and can lead to health risks, including cancer.

(Ionizing radiation, NCI Dictionary)

This radioimmunoconjugate selectively delivers alpha particle-mediated cytotoxicity to leukemic cells, thereby limiting the exposure of normal tissues to ionizing radiation.

(Bismuth Bi213 Monoclonal Antibody M195, NCI Thesaurus)

The latter effect sensitizes tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation.

(Lovastatin, NCI Thesaurus)

The science concerned with problems of radiation protection relevant to reducing or preventing radiation exposure, and the effects of ionizing radiation on humans and their environment.

(Health Physics, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A unit of an absorbed dose rate of ionizing radiation defined as an absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to one Gray absorbed over an interval of time equal to one second.

(Gray per Second, NCI Thesaurus)

Cancer therapy using ionizing radiation to a significant (>50%) portion of the body, e.g. craniospinal, total body irradiation, or pelvic radiation.

(Extensive Radiation, NCI Thesaurus)

Etanidazole depletes glutathione and inhibits glutathione transferase, thereby enhancing the cytotoxicity of ionizing radiation.

(Etanidazole, NCI Thesaurus)

Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

(Organic food, NCI Thesaurus)