radiation syndrome

radiation syndrome
    n 1: syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation
         (e.g., exposure to radioactive chemicals or to nuclear
         explosions); low doses cause diarrhea and nausea and
         vomiting and sometimes loss of hair; greater exposure can
         cause sterility and cataracts and some forms of cancer and
         other diseases; severe exposure can cause death within
         hours; "he was suffering from radiation" [syn: {radiation
         sickness}, {radiation syndrome}, {radiation}]