Radiation Hormesis , Of , Could All Tl 1 at Radiation Be Good fOf Us ?

Objective: Nuclear medicine technologists work under sig­ nificant radiation protection constraints. These constraints are based on the linear no-threshold (LNl) radiation para­ digm, which was developed in the 1960s and was based largely on the deleterious effects of radiation as they were understood at the time. More recently, the theory of radia­ tion hormesis, or a beneficial effect of low-level exposure to radiation, has gained recognition. This article reviews the history of attitudes toward radiation, describes the radiation hormesis hypothesis, examines some of the evidence that supports it, and suggests ways that radiation protection regulations might change if the hypothesis were to become accepted.