|
The risks from radiation have been largely derived from atomic bomb survivor studies, where the incidence of disease (principally cancer) was plotted against radiation dose. Where there was data, the dose response was linear, meaning that as dose increased, so did cancer risk. However, below the lowest data point, the natural incidence of the disease masked any effects that may have been caused by radiation. Because of this, the LNT assumes that cancer incidence as it relates to radiation dose behaves in the same way as at higher doses; that is, in a linear manner.
|