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
What dose does Gastrointestinal Syndrome result from?
Whole body dose of 6 - 50 Gy
What dose does Central Nervous System Syndrome (Cerebrovascular) result from?
> 50 Gy
When does the prodominal peroid start and last with Gastrointestinal Syndrome?
Within hours, lasts ≤ 1 day
How long does the prodominal peroid last with Central Nervous System Syndrome (Cerebrovascular)?
Lasts a few hours
What part of the body does gastrointensinal sydrome affect?
Lining of GI tract and bone marrow
What symptoms can occur from Central Nervous System Syndrome (Cerebrovascular)?
Blood vessel damage → intracranial pressure
When does the Latent period begin for Gastrointestinal Syndrome?
2nd - 5th day of exposure
When does th Manifest illness stage begin for Gastrointestinal Syndrome?
5th - 10th day of exposure
What is the life expectancy range for gastrointestinal syndrome?
3~14 days
What are the symptoms in the manifest illness stage for gastrointestinal syndrome?
lethargy, loss of appetite, malaise, anorexia, severe diarrhea, fever, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance.
What is the life expectancy range for Central Nervous System Syndrome (Cerebrovascular)?
Death in few hours to 3 days
When does the latent peroid begin fo rCentral Nervous System Syndrome (Cerebrovascular)?
A few hours after exposure
When does the manifest illness stage begin for Central Nervous System Syndrome (Cerebrovascular)?
5-6 hours after exposure
What are the symptoms of the manifest illness stage for Central Nervous System Syndrome?
Convulsions, coma
What sydrome causes this?
Death due to collapse of the circulatory system as well as increased pressure in the cranial vault as the result of increased fluid content caused by edema, vasculitis, and meningitis.
Central Nervous System Syndrome (Cerebrovascular)
What is the Lethal Dose (LD)?
Signifies the whole body dose of radiation that can be lethal to 50% of the exposed population within 30 days
What is the lethal dose in humans without medical support?
Lethal dose 100 is 6 Gy (6000 mSv) without medical support.
T/F
Humans with support have tolerated doses as high as 8.5 Gy.
True
wut
What did partial body effects result from?
- Radiotherapy
- Early pinoerrs of radiation
What does partial body exposure lead to?
- Atrophy of organs and tissues
- Radiodermatitis
What are the two types of recovery that can occur after partial body exposure?
Can be partial or complete
What does organ and tissue response to radiation exposure depend on?
- Radiosensitivity
- Reproductive characteristics
- Growth rate
What tissues suffer immediate consequences from high radiation doses?
- Skin
- Male and female reproductive organs
- Bone marrow/circulatory system
What are the 3 layers of the skin?
Epidermis (outer layer)
Dermis (middle layer)
Hypodermis (subcutaneous layer)
What is Radiodermatitis?
Reddening (erythema)of the skin that can eventually lead to cancerous lesions
What amount of radiation can cause radiodermatitis? When do effects begin to appear?
Single Dose of 2 Gy (2000 mSv) 24 - 48hrs later
What are the Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Skin?
- Radiodermatitis
- Epilation or loss of hair (alopecia)
What are the two types of Epilation or loss of hair (alopecia)?
- Temporary
- Permenent
What amount of radiation can cause temporary Epilation or loss of hair (alopecia)?
3 Gy-3000 mSv
What dose can caues permenent Epilation or loss of hair (alopecia)?
(7 Gy) (7000 mSv)
Is it highly radiosensitve or highly radioinsensitive?
Epithelial tissue
Highly radiosensitive
Is it highly radiosensitve or highly radioinsensitive?
Muscle tissue
relatively insensitive
Is it highly radiosensitve or highly radioinsensitive?
Reproductive cells
Highly radiosensitive
What dose can depress sperm count?
0.1 Gy (100 mSv)
What dose can delay or suppress menstruation
0.1 Gy (100 mSv)
How often do sperm cells reproduce?
3-5 weeks
What are the most sensitive cells in humans?
Lymphocytes
What are the second most sensitive cells in humans?
Spermatogonia
What is the Gonadal dose of ionizing radiation that will cause permanent sterility?
5 Gy (5000 mSv)
What is the Gonadal dose of ionizing radiation that will cause temporary sterility up to 12 months?
2 Gy (2000 mSv)
Fertility will return however there could be chromosomal abnormalities
What does Hematopoietic System consist of?
Bone marrow, circulating blood, and lymphoid organs (lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus gland)
What do Pluripotential stem cells develop into?
Lymphocytes, granulocytes, platelets, erythrocytes
At what stage is a fetus most sensitive?
First Trimester (3 months)
What dose can cause death to a fetus in the preimplantation phase?
50 – 150 mSv
What affects can result from irradiation to a fetus in the Major organogenesis stage?
- Abnormalities are congenital and include: growth inhibition, intellectual disabilities, microcephaly, genital deformities, sensory organ damage
- Can result in neonatal death (death at birth)
What affects to a fetus can occur from irradiation during the fetal stage?
- Abnormalities can include cancer and functional disorders during childhood
- May lead to sterility
What are the 3 Stages of gestation in humans?
- Preimplantation
- Organogenesis
- Fetal stage
What is the Preimplantation stage?
Conception to 9 days, fertilized ovum
What is the Organogenesis stage?
Starts at implantation, 10th day to 12th week post conception
Prior to TLD’s how was occupational exposure tracked?
- Film badges
- Blood tests
T/F
Whole-body dose of ionizing radiation as low as 0.25 Gy (250 mSv)would produce a measurable hematologic depression.
True
0.5 Gy (500 mSv) can result in 0 lymphocytes and recovery takes a couple of months in what type of patients?
- Immunocompromised
- Radiation therapy patients
Following irradiation, what is the life span for lymphocytes and erythrocytes?
Lymphocytes (few hours); Erythrocytes (up to 120 days)
Pictures for understanding