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Radiation Sickness

Archana Kudrimoti, MPH, MBBS, MD Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

Radiation sickness, toxicity, poisoning or acute radiation syndrome (ARS), is defined as an acute illness caused by radiation of most or all of the body into deeper tissues with a relatively hi...

DIAGNOSIS

Strong index of suspicion and knowledge of radiation event 

HISTORY

  • Exposure to known source of radiation

    • Damaged radioisotope-containing medical equipment

    • Industrial sources

    • Nuclear power plant

    • R...

TREATMENT

  • High-quality, randomized, controlled studies of therapeutic interventions for ARS are not available. Guidelines for treatment are from consensus panels based on reviews of reported incidents...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Isolation techniques for immune system injury 

Patient Monitoring

  • Daily CBC with differential: platelet, granulocyte, and lymphocyte counts

  • Stool for occult blood

  • Vit...

REFERENCES

1
Dainiak  N, Gent  RN, Carr  Z, et al. First global consensus for evidence-based management of the hematopoietic syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiati...

SEE ALSO

  • Radiation Injury Treatment network https://ritn.net/

  • Medical App REAC/TS Radiation Emergency Assistance centre/Training site

CODES

ICD10

T66.XXXA Radiation sickness, unspecified, initial encounter 

SNOMED

  • 370402009 Radiation sickness (disorder)

  • 360002 Acute radiation disease (disorder)

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Radiation interactions with atoms can result in ionization and the formation of free radicals that damage tissue by disrupting chemical bonds and molecular structures in the cell, incl...

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