Which statement about the timing of somatic effects is not accurate?

Which statement about the timing of somatic effects is not accurate?

• A. They may appear during the exposed individual's lifetime
• B. They may appear long after exposure
• C. They appear in offspring
• D. They are dose-related

Answer: (C)

Somatic effects are changes that occur in the body of the person who was irradiated. They can show up at different times—from soon after exposure to many years later (late effects)—and their likelihood and severity generally increase with the dose received. These effects are confined to the irradiated individual and are not inherited by offspring. If offspring are affected, that would be due to genetic (germline) changes, not somatic changes in the irradiated person. So the statement that somatic effects appear in offspring is not accurate.

Somatic effects are changes that occur in the body of the person who was irradiated. They can show up at different times—from soon after exposure to many years later (late effects)—and their likelihood and severity generally increase with the dose received. These effects are confined to the irradiated individual and are not inherited by offspring. If offspring are affected, that would be due to genetic (germline) changes, not somatic changes in the irradiated person. So the statement that somatic effects appear in offspring is not accurate.