What can ionizing radiation do when in contact with cells?

Ionizing radiation has a varied impact on cells, and understanding these effects is crucial in the context of fluoroscopy and radiation safety. When ionizing radiation interacts with biological cells, it can cause a range of outcomes based on the dose and energy of the radiation, as well as the type of cells involved.

Killing a cell is one potential outcome of exposure to ionizing radiation. High doses of radiation can lead to cell death through direct damage to the DNA or through the production of free radicals, which subsequently damage cellular structures essential for survival.

In contrast, ionizing radiation can also pass through cells without causing any observable damage. This typically occurs at very low doses or when the cells are not particularly vulnerable, and it reflects the idea that not all radiation exposure results in harm.

Furthermore, ionizing radiation can cause damage that is not immediately lethal to the cell, allowing for the potential of cellular repair mechanisms to operate. In many instances, cells have the ability to repair DNA damage through various biochemical pathways. If the damage is minor and the cell's repair systems function properly, it may not have any lasting effects on the cell's viability or function.

Given these various outcomes—cell death, no damage, and repairable damage—the correct answer encompasses all possibilities