What is the consequence of administering a specified dose of radiation all at once?

Administering a specified dose of radiation all at once can lead to greater cellular damage due to the concentration of energy delivered to tissues in a single exposure. When radiation is delivered in one large dose, it increases the likelihood of causing significant harm to the DNA within cells, which can lead to immediate biological effects, such as acute radiation syndrome in high doses, or long-term consequences like an increased risk of cancer.

The severity of damage from radiation is not solely dependent on the total dose, but also on the rate of dose delivery. A single, high dose does not allow the body adequate time to repair cellular damage that may occur, whereas spreading the doses over time can enable some level of recovery between treatments, thereby minimizing harm to healthy tissues and improving overall treatment outcomes.

In contrast, the other options imply that larger single doses may be protective or preferred, which contradicts established principles in radiation therapy that emphasize the importance of fractionating doses to mitigate harm and promote recovery.