Acute radiation injury is a disease which emerges in modern times. There is little related record in ancient books of Chinese medicine. At present

a unified

explicit and systematic understanding of radiation injury etiology and its pathogenesis in Chinese medicine has not established. According to the characteristics of onset and prognosis of acute radiation injury

Chinese medicine doctors hold that the etiology in Chinese medicine is a kind of pathogenic toxin. With physicians of past generations constant exploration on pathogenic toxin causing diseases

later ages doctors’ understanding on pathogenic toxin becomes deeper

more specific and comprehensive. There are extensive internal injuries when radiation injury occurs. And it is likely to complicate with internal pathogenic factor deterioration injury

which is refractory. Thus ionizing radiation is understood from the aspect of pathogenic toxin. The paper analyzes the similarities and differences between ionizing radiation and heat-toxicity

warm toxin

phototoxicity

etc.