**Conflict of interest**

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

*Radiation Injury and Emergency Medicine DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95262*

*Trauma and Emergency Surgery - The Role of Damage Control Surgery*

plans accordingly.

**8. Conclusions**

and not a curse.

**Conflict of interest**

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

off-target exposure [34]. Compact structures that were traditionally difficult to irradiate without significant off-target, such as the axilla and chest, can now be treated much more accurately with minimal exposure to non-tumor tissue [41]. Modern imaging techniques can be utilized to assess organ performance even before the administration of radiation to determine the risk of post-radiation symptoms. Indocyanine retention assays used in conjunction with MRI have determined the pre-exposure function of liver to assess if the patient is a good candidate for radiation therapy [25]. New guidelines are constantly being updated to ensure that the risks of radiation therapy are minimized. Novel pharmacological agents, such as the development of immunotherapy, are being implemented to supplement the efficiency of radiation therapy. As medicine becomes more collaborative and data is more available, physicians outside of radiation oncology will be able to better understand the radiation therapy treatment plans and define survivorship care

The discovery of nuclear power and the utilization to benefit humanity has been

one of the defining moments of the modern era. While this discovery certainly has benefits, there are also unintended and intended consequences which we must continue to mitigate. In the field of medicine, what is clear is that radiation remains a crucial tool to diagnose and treat diseases. Understanding and minimizing the risks of using this tool remains a priority for the safety and well-being of patients, especially given the broad impact it has on organs throughout the body and the long-term effects. It falls upon health care professionals to remain vigilant and wellinformed to ensure that nuclear energy and radiation therapy remains a blessing

**14**
