Early effects of radiation Flashcards
What is Acute Exposure?
A Short-term, high-level exposure
What is a Chronic Exposure and what does it result in?
Long-term, low-level exposure; more genetic effects
What are somatic effects?
Biological damage from ionizing radiation to body cells, usually from hole body exposure
What does a non-stochastic effect mean?
The severity of the effect varies with the dose and for which a threshold value exists.
What are the 2 ways that the body responds to radiation dose?
Stochastic and non-stochastic (deterministic)
T/F
Stochastic effects appear in cases of exposure to high levels of radiation, and become more severe as the exposure increases.
False; non stochastic effects appear in cases of exposure to high levels of radiation, and become more severe as the exposure increases.
What is another word for non stochastic?
Deterministic
What does a stochastic effect mean?
Increased levels of exposure make these health effects more likely to occur (probability), but does not influence the type or severity of the effect.
T/F
Stochastic effects are typically associated with chronic exposure to radiation.
True
T/F
Stochastic effects are non-threshold.
True
What type of effect is this an example of?
Cancer, leukemia and genetic defects
Primary stochastic effects
What is this describing?
Biological damage from ionizing radiation to body cells, usually from hole body exposure
Somatic effects
T/F
Dose does not affect the severity of effect of somatic effects.
True
T/F
The severity of the dose for early deterministic effects are dose related.
True
How long does it take at minimum for early effects of radiation to appear?
Minutes
What condition is this?
When whole body is exposed to a large dose over short time of ionizing radiation
Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS)
What induces ARS?
Exposure to nuclear weapons and nuclear energy fields
What are the 4 stages of ARS?
- Prodromal Period
- Latent Period
- Manifest Period
- Recovery or death
What amount of radiation can induce ARS?
1 Gy (100 rad) delivered to total body
T/F
With ARS, Severity of symptoms is dose related
True
When do symptoms of ARS begin to appear?
Hours to a few days depending on the amount
What are the signs and symptoms of ARS in the Prodromal Stage?
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, leukopenia
What is leukopenia?
Reduction in the white blood count
When does either recovery or lethal effects begin with ARS?
In the latent stage
What occurs in the latent stage of ARS?
The patient looks and feels generally healthy for a few hours or even up to a few weeks and subject is free of visible effects
If the latent stage lasts for hours/or less, approximelty how much radiation was the patient exposed to?
50 Gy
If the latent stage lasts for weeks approximelty how much radiation was the patient exposed to?
1-5 Gy
What syndromes appear during the Manifest Illness stage of ARS?
- Hematologic Syndrome (Bone Marrow Syndrome)
- Gastrointestinal Syndrome (GI)
- Central Nervous System Syndrome (CNS)
What do manifest illness sydromes appear as a result of?
Acute exposures over a short period of time
In the manifest illness stage, what is the type of syndome dependant upon?
Syndrome depends on how much you received
What does Hematopoietic Syndrome result from?
Whole body dose of 1 to 10 Gray
How long is the latent period with Hematopoietic Syndrome?
About 4 weeks, blood cells declining in number
What are the symptoms of Hematopoietic Syndrome in the manifest illness stage?
NVD, anorexia, malaise, lethargy & fever
At what dose recieved is survival possible for those with Hematopoietic Syndrome?
Survival possible range of 1-2 Gy
What is the primary cause of death for those with hematopoietic Syndrome?
Primary cause of death is the destruction of the bone marrow, resulting in infection and hemorrhage.
What is the survival range for those with hematopoietic Syndrome?
6-8 wks