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Health Risks of Ionizing Radiation: - Clark University

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Glossary 205<br />

Metastasis: 1. Movement <strong>of</strong> bacteria or body cells (esp. cancer cells) from one part <strong>of</strong> the body to<br />

another. 2. Change in location <strong>of</strong> a disease or <strong>of</strong> its manifestations or transfer from one organ or part<br />

to another not directly connected.<br />

MeV: megaelectron volt = 1.60217646 × 10 -13 Joules<br />

Mortality: The number <strong>of</strong> deaths in a population.<br />

Multiple-myeloma: A malignant disease characterized by the infiltration <strong>of</strong> bone and bone marrow by<br />

neoplastic plasma cells.<br />

Multiplicative Effect: The combined effect <strong>of</strong> factors that is equal to the independent effect <strong>of</strong> the factors<br />

being multiplied together<br />

Myelocytic Leukemia: a group <strong>of</strong> malignant disorders characterized by the replacement <strong>of</strong> normal bone<br />

marrow with abnormal, primitive hematopoietic cells<br />

Myelogenous: Producing or originating in marrow.<br />

Myeloid: 1. Medullary; marrow-like. 2. Resembling a myelocyte, but not necessarily originating from<br />

bone marrow.<br />

National Council on <strong>Radiation</strong> Protection (NCRP): a private corporation that formulates and widely<br />

disseminates information, guidance and recommendations on radiation protection and measurements<br />

which represent the consensus <strong>of</strong> leading scientific thinking.<br />

Neoplasia: A new growth <strong>of</strong> benign or malignant tissue. A synonym <strong>of</strong> neoplasm.<br />

Neoplasm: A new and abnormal formation <strong>of</strong> tissue, as a tumor or growth. It serves no useful function,<br />

but grows at the expense <strong>of</strong> the healthy organism.<br />

Neural tube defects: A group <strong>of</strong> defects present at birth that result from a failure <strong>of</strong> the embryonic<br />

neural tube to close during development. The neural tube is the tube formed from fusion <strong>of</strong> the neural<br />

folds from which the brain and spiral cord arise.<br />

Neuroblastoma: malignant hemorrhagic tumor composed principally <strong>of</strong> cells resembling neuroblasts that<br />

give rise to cells <strong>of</strong> the sympathetic system, especially adrenal medulla. This tumor occurs chiefly in<br />

infants and children. The primary sites are in the mediastinal and retroperitoneal regions.<br />

Neutrophil: A granular white blood cell (WBC), the most common type (55% to 70%) <strong>of</strong> WBC.<br />

Nodule: 1. A small node. 2. A small cluster <strong>of</strong> cells.<br />

Non-Haemopoeietic Neoplasms: abnormal cell growth not pertinent to the production and development<br />

<strong>of</strong> blood cells.<br />

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: A group <strong>of</strong> malignant tumors <strong>of</strong> B or T lymphocytes that are newly<br />

diagnosed in about 45,000 Americans annually.

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