L 14: Radiologic Terrorism

Question 1

Availability of Radioactive Materials

Answer 1

• Loose sources are scattered in many parts of the world.
• Smoke detectors contain Am-241
• 137Cs is widely used in hospitals—long half-life, vaporizes readily, readily spread by an explosive device
• Moisture densitiy gauges have small quantities of americium-241 and cesium-137

Question 2

External contamination

Answer 2

• Contamination on the surface of the body
• Could come about as the result of a hidden radiological device or a dirty bomb
• For external exposures, survey-scrub-rinse sequence is followed

Question 3

Internal Contamination

Answer 3

• Radiation can gain entry to the body through inhalation, ingestion, transdermal (wounds)
• Ex: I in thyroid, Am or Pu in bone
• Hard to handle internal contamination except I (KI tablet administration prevent thyroid cancer) and Prussian Blue (137-Cs)

Question 4

Patient management steps

Board question

Answer 4

Question 5

Summary

Answer 5

• Three main syndromes exist following total body exposure to radiation: hematopoietic, GI, and CNS
• There are prodromal effects as well as latent periods associated with this damage.
• Much of what is known about total body radiation exposures in humans is from accidental exposures.

Question 6

Highest annual natural background radiation is seen in

Answer 6

Ramsar, Iran
260 mSv/year