Will radiation therapy make me radioactive?

No, external beam radiation therapy does not make you radioactive. This is one of the most common worries people have before starting treatment, and it is a myth worth clearing up early. During a session, a machine aims radiation at a specific part of your body from outside for a short period, typically one to five minutes, while a therapist watches you from another room and can stop the machine at any time.

Because the radiation is delivered from an external machine rather than placed inside your body, it does not linger in your body or make you a radiation risk to the people around you. You can safely be around other people after your sessions, including pregnant women and children, without any special precautions.

You also won't feel, hear, see, or smell the radiation itself during treatment, though you will hear and see the machine moving around you as it works. If you have specific questions about your own situation, your radiation therapy team can walk you through exactly what to expect.