Somatic effects can be influenced by dose?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not related
• D. Only to genetic effects

Answer: (A)

Dose determines the amount of energy deposited in body tissues, so it directly influences somatic effects. When more energy is absorbed, more cellular damage occurs, which can lead to deterministic tissue reactions that have a threshold and become more severe as dose increases (for example, skin erythema or hair loss at higher exposures). For stochastic effects, like cancer, the probability of occurrence rises with dose, meaning higher doses increase the chance of these effects even if the exact outcome isn’t guaranteed. In diagnostic radiography, doses are usually well below thresholds for clear tissue reactions, but the overall risk from somatic effects still grows with greater dose.