When you have a CT scan without knowing whether you are pregnant or not, the effects of radiation in your life on your body

This book, which is translated into Korean by world-renowned scholar Waden Allison, professor emeritus of physics at Oxford University, has already been translated into Japan and China. In particular, the translator of this book, Professor Kang Geon-wook of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Seoul National University Hospital, is an authority in the field of nuclear medicine in Korea who has been participating in the establishment of international radiation safety standards and guidelines as a member of the medical subcommittee of the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP) since 2013. In addition, Prof. Kang is striving to easily convey knowledge to the public by conducting a live show on the theme of 'Myths and Truths about Radiation' through the Bionhu channel.

The author, Professor Wade Allison, participated in a book concert via real-time zoom in the UK and introduced the secret story of writing the book. "I've been interested in physics since I was 13 years old in 1954 when Eisenhauer was talking about the energy of the nuclear bomb ," Weiden said, " and I talked to my Oxford classmates about nuclear energy, but even they expressed a fear of it, and I wanted to write a book about it to get it right." revealed the intention of writing. When asked what message he would like to convey to Korean readers, he replied, "Eco-friendly energy takes up a lot of space, and it is difficult to produce energy as efficiently as nuclear energy. South Korea has the technology to make nuclear energy, but if we don't put it into practical use, China may be the first to put it into practical use." He also delivered a message urging Korean readers to raise awareness about nuclear energy.

Quoting Professor Wade as saying, "It does not make sense that the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) adopts a one-year radiation exposure standard of 1 mSv," the translator said, "Considering that the actual natural radiation is about 5 mSv, the standard is too strict."said. In particular, regarding the relationship between nuclear power and cancer, "Statistically, there are studies that show that people who work in the nuclear power industry are three-quarters less likely to develop cancer than the general population. In general, the cause of the fear that exists about radiation stems from the fear of cancer. This is due to the prediction that the more you receive, the more likely you will get cancer, but this is not true. In fact, food, drink, and tap water all contain radiation, but we are too afraid of some radiation coming in very small amounts.'He expressed his regret.

The book concert was attended by the moderator, Professor Cho Gyu-sung of the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering at KAIST, and Professor Seung-eun Lee, Representative of Korea for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) at Sookmyung Women's University.

During the Q&A session, participants who participated via Zoom were asked to answer questions in real time. When asked about the experts' views on the 'radon bed', which has recently become an issue, Professor Kang said, 'In the case of radon beds, the natural radiation that can be felt at home may have a greater effect on the human body, and the bed itself does not have a significant impact. In fact, radon beds produce about 1 mSv of radiation, but 3 mSv is measured when measured with natural radiation at home.' "We tend to think that radiation from artifacts is more dangerous, but in fact we have to think that the energy taken in by cells is the same." He explained.

In response to the question, "What should I do if I have a CT scan without knowing if I am pregnant?", Professor Kang strongly stated at the beginning that "you should never have an abortion" and said, "The level of radiation that causes birth defects is 1000 mSv, but the CT scan emits 10 mSv of radiation. Lectures to medical students also emphasize the need to educate patients in such cases so that they can be reassured. It provided an opportunity to easily answer questions about radiating rays from an expert's point of view.