Chapter 5 Radiation Risks Flashcards
direct action
Compton and PE electrons ionize molecules
indirect actions
compton/PE electrons interact with water to produce free hydroxyl radicals that are chemically reactive
how much damage is caused dy direct vs indirect action
2/3 by indirect action
1/3 by direct action
why are mammalian cells easier to kill than bacteria?
hey have more DNA
the more DNA = the easier to inactive biological system
bacteria easier to kill than viruses
dose required for sterilization
20,000 Gy
what is radiobiology
studies effects of ionizing radiation in cells and animal models
single strand vs double strand breaks
single strand is most likely repaired, double strand more likely to result in cell death, carcinogenesis, mutation
what can damaged somatic cells do?
Induce cancer
-takes years or decades to develop
what happens to cells at lower vs higher doses
lower doses: cells more likely to undergo modification
higher doses: cells more likely to be killed
what can damaged sperm and egg cells lead to?
hereditary effects
changes in genetic code of a germ cell can affect future generations
what does cell killing depend on?
LET of radiation
dose rate (higher = more kill), repair can occur when delivery is protracted
fractionation (reduces cell kill- helps protect normal tissues)
oygenation (2-3 X more sensitive than anoxic cells)
what does law of bergonie and tribondeau state?
highest sensitivities occur when cells are undifferentiated and have high mitotic rates
therefore rapidly proliferating cells (ex bone marrow stem cells) are sensitive whereas highly differentiated and non-proliferating cells (ex neurons) are least sensitive
are peripheral lymphocites sensitive to radiation?
YES
even though they are differentiated and don’t divide
(they are an exception)
why are oxygenated cells more sensitive than anoxic cells?
oxygen prolongs lifetime of free radicals, promoting bond breaking
deterministic effects
have a treshold dose
-for doses below treshold, effect won’t occur, for doses much above, effects are expected to occur in all exposed individuals
severity may increase with increasing dose
examples of deterministic effects
skin burns
epilation
eye cataracts
sterility
stochastic effects
have no treshold dose
-pertain to carcinogenesis and induction of hereditary effects in offspring of exposed individuals
-severity is independent of radiation dose
-dose only affects probability of effect occurring
lethal uniform whole body dose
5 Gy
how do you triage the severity of acute radiation exposures?
-peripheral lymphocyte count
-immediate diarrhea, fever, hypotension
what whole body dose sterilizes stem cells
2 Gy
reduces circulating blood elements within 2-3 weeks
hematopoietic syndrome
what is LD50
uniform whole body dose that kills 50% of population
3-4 Gy without medical intervention
-at whole body doses above 8 Gy, absence of immune system means survival is very unlikely
what would whole body doses of > 10 Gy do?
lilely kill everyone in 5-10 days due to loss of epithelial lining of GI tract (GI syndrome)
what would whole body dose of 100 Gy do
kill everyone in 1-2 days from permeability changes in brain blood vessels (cerebrovascular syndrome)
peak skin dose
-usually occurs where radiation enters patient
-used to predict likelihood of skin burns
is exposed skin area taken into account when predicting burns?
No
time scales for onset of skin deterministic effects
prompt: < 2 weeks
early: 2-8 weeks
mid term: 6-52 weeks
long term: > 40 weeks
peak skin dose levels with effects
< 2 Gy : no effects
2-5 Gy: erythema possible (prompt or early)
5-10 Gy: for sure erythema (prompt or early), prolonged erythema may occur mid-term, with dermal atrophy or induration long term
10-15 Gy: prompt erythema + early dry/moist desquamation; mid-term erythema, long term dermal atrophy, induration, telangiectasia, weak skin
> 15 Gy: prompt erythema, edema, acute ulceration, mid term dermal atrophy, secondary ulceration, dermal necrosis; long term includes telangiactasia, dermal strophy or induration, skin breakdown likely requiring surgery
national cancer institute categorization of radiation-induced skin injuries
grade 1, 2-10 Gy, faint to moderate erythema
grade 2, 5-15 Gy, erythema
grade 3, > 10 Gy, moist desquamation in areas other than skin folds and creases
grade 4, > 15 Gy, skin necrosis or ulceration of full-thickness dermis
epilation
occurs temporarily for scalp dose of 3-5 Gy after 2-3 weeks
(regrowth of hair starts 2 months after irradiation, may be gray)
for dose > 7 Gy epilation likely permanent
what are cataracts
opacification of eye lens normally transparent
eye lens has no way of removing dead or damaged cells
-cataracts caused by radiation migrate to posterior pole of lens