radiation

(rād-ē-ā′shŏn)

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[L. radiatio, a shining]

1. The process by which energy is propagated through space or matter.
2. The emission of rays in all directions from a common center.
3. Ionizing rays used for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Two types of radiation therapy are commonly used for patients with cancer: teletherapy and brachytherapy.
SEE: brachytherapy
4. Any form of radiant energy emission or divergence, as of energy in all directions from luminous bodies, radiographical tubes, particle accelerators, radioactive elements, and fluorescent substances.
5. In neurology, a group of fibers that diverge from a common origin.

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