Abstract: A radiation detection method and apparatus for detection of radiation in a small, portable, relatively inexpensive device. A radiation sensitive memory device and a radiation hardened memory device receive digital data from a digital data generator such as a pseudo-random word generator. The radiation sensitive memory device outputs an exposed digital data stream which, while stored in the radiation sensitive memory device, is susceptible to radiation incident upon the radiation sensitive memory device. The radiation hardened memory device is much less sensitive to radiation than the radiation sensitive memory device such that the test digital data stream output by the radiation hardened memory device is much less effected by radiation than the exposed digital data stream. The exposed digital data stream and the test digital data stream are compared to determine whether the exposed digital data stream was exposed to radiation while stored in the radiation sensitive memory device.