Increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation

What it means

An abnormally increased sensitivity to the effects of ionizing radiation.

Ionizing radiation can lead to the production of free radicals, break chemical bonds, and damage DNA; RNA, and proteins. Cellular damage related to low doses such as that received from normal background radiation is rapidly repaired under normal conditions.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category