Radiation has been successfully applied to address a wide variety of global problems; probably the most important thing is medicine. Medical uses of radiation commonly include modern diagnostic and therapeutic techniques such as X-rays, radionuclides, and radiotherapy (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2004). In the context of X-rays, the use of radiation is most recognized in four individually focused treatments, the first of these being the chest x-ray. This particular diagnostic test is used to confirm patients are eligible for surgery or to distinguish lung diseases such as emphysema, pneumonia, and lung cancer (The American Association of Physics Teachers, 2007). The x-ray image can be printed using specialized x-ray machines. These machines work similarly to regular digital cameras, however, instead of using light with frequencies within the visible spectrum, the machines use electromagnetic waves with much higher frequencies which are therefore able to penetrate through thicker media. (howstuffworks, 2013) The “barium enema” is a bowel test in which a small amount of radioactive material (barium) is inserted into the body; show doctors even the smallest of blockages through the use of a screen. Cardiologists also use a form of X-ray (an angiogram) to detect blockages. It works very similarly to the barium enema. Mammograms are used to diagnose abnormalities such as breast cancer and use X-ray imaging to do so. They are very useful to both doctors and patients as they can detect abnormalities sometimes almost two years before a given patient notices any changes in their body. Computed tomography (CT) is used to recognize the causes of abdominal pain and allows doctors to "see" enough organs. An x-ray of the body is taken and combined with computer-generated images to produce a two-dimensional image of the internal body (The American Association of Physics Teachers, 2007). In addition to the use of radiation in X-rays, radioactive materials are also useful in the context of nuclear medicine. In this case the radiation is often called a radionuclide sample and is administered to the patient via oral techniques. The drug works by forcing the patient's body to become radioactive for a short period of time. The presence of radioactivity in the patient's body allows doctors to determine whether the person's organs are functioning properly or not. In addition to the functioning of the body's major organs, conditions such as disruption of blood flow and the risk of infections can also be tested.