Which type of radiation effect is expressed in the exposed person rather than the offspring?

• A. Genetic Effect
• B. Somatic Effect
• C. Both Genetic and Somatic Effects
• D. Neither effect

Answer: (B)

Somatic effects are changes that occur in the person who is exposed to radiation. These effects appear in the irradiated individual, not in their offspring. Examples include acute reactions like skin reddening or hair loss at higher doses, and late effects such as cataracts, organ damage, or an increased cancer risk that manifests in the person who received the exposure. Genetic effects would be passed on to future generations because they arise from mutations in germ cells; those effects would be expressed in offspring, not the irradiated person. So the effect described as appearing in the exposed person is somatic. In dental imaging, we minimize somatic risk by using the lowest exposure, proper shielding, and efficient image receptors.