Total-Body Response to Radiation Flashcards
What are the parameters for experiencing a total body response syndrome?
Exposure must be acute (minutes)
Total-body or near-total-body exposure must occur
Exposure must be from an external penetrating source rather than ingested, inhaled, or implanted radioactive sources.
What are the phases of a total body response syndrome?
Prodromal phase: symptoms appear dependent on dose
Latent phase: person appears to have no symptoms of exposure
Manifest illness phase: the effects of exposure become evident and correlate to the dose.
What are the three radiation syndromes?
Hematopoietic Syndrome, Gastrointestinal Syndrome, Cerebrovascular Syndrome
Hematopoietic Syndrome
100-1000 cGy exposure
Prodromal phase consists of nausea and vomiting
Latent phase lasts from a few days to 3 weeks
Bone marrow stem cells dying
Manifest illness 3-5 weeks after exposure
Peripheral blood cell counts decrease
Pancytopenia results in anemia, hemorraging, and serious infection
300-500 cGy – increased chance of death in 4-6 weeks
500-1000 cGy – death is likely in 2 weeks
Gastrointestinal Syndrome
1,000-10,000 cGy
Chance of GI syndrome as low as 600 cGy and overlaps with higher exposure cerebrovascular syndrome of 5000 cGy or more
Mean survival time is 3-10 days
Prodromal phase – within hours of exposure: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps
Latent phase at 2-5 days
Manifest illness at 5-10 days
Causes damage to the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow
Decrease of crypt cells in small intestine
Cerebrovascular Syndrome
As low as 5,000 cGy and exclusively after doses of 10,000 cGy
Prodromal lasts minutes to hours: nervousness, confusion, sever nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness,burning sensation of the skin
Latent period is only a few hours or less
Within 5-6 hours after exposure, manifest illness stage is characterized by water diarrhea, convulsions, coma, and death.
