[Trends and new findings in the assessment of the somatic radiation risk (author's transl)].

New findings are described which enable a more precise estimation of the leukemia and cancer risk by radiation. They concern the risk ratio of cancer to leukemia after whole body irradiation, the shape of the dose-risk-relationship and the time factor problem. Finally a balance of the somatic radiation risk from whole body irradiation is set up and the consequences for the establishment of dose limits are discussed.