What is radiation exposure?

Radiation is energy that occurs naturally in sunlight and sound waves. Man-made radiation is used in X-rays, nuclear weapons, nuclear power plants and cancer treatment.

Exposure to radiation, even to small amounts of radiation over a long time, raises your risk of cancer and other health problems.

In the U.S., nuclear weapons testing between 1945 and 1962 and the uranium mining industry between 1943 and 1971 may have exposed individuals who worked with or lived near them to harmful levels of radiation.

Today, those individuals may be eligible for screening and financial compensation for certain illnesses they may have as a result. For more information, see Radiation Exposure Screening and Education.