Stochastic Radiation Effect
Stochastic Radiation Effect : Effects of ionizing radiation, whereby the probability of their occurrence, but not their severity is a function of the dose without the existence of a threshold value. Non-stochastic effects, today called deterministic radiation effects, are those in which the severity of the effect varies with the dose and for which a threshold value exists. In the dose range relevant for radiation protection purposes, inheritable damage, cancer and leukaemia belong to stochastic radiation damages. The probability that stochastic radiation damage will occur differs widely for the irradiated individual organs or tissues. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (Publication 103, 2007) indicates a value of 5.5 % per sievert for cancer and 0.2 % per sievert for heritable effects after exposure to radiation at low dose rate. The following calculation is designed to illustrate this value: the natural radiation exposure in Germany of 2.1 mSv/year results in a total dose of 172 000 Sv for the approximately 82 million inhabitants. If this value is multiplied by the aforementioned risk factor of 5.5 % per sievert for cancer mortality, 9 500 cancer deaths annually by natural radiation result on a calculatory basis
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