title: Blood irradiation: rationale and technique.
abstract: Upon request by the local American Red Cross, the Savannah Regional Center for Cancer Care irradiates whole blood or blood components to prevent post-transfusion graft-versus-host reaction in patients who have severely depressed immune systems. The rationale for blood irradiation, the total absorbed dose, the type of patients who require irradiated blood, and the regulations that apply to irradiated blood are presented. A method of irradiating blood using a linear accelerator is described.
authors.affiliation: Savannah Regional Center for Cancer Care, Memorial Medical Center, GA 31403.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001771:Blood Banks; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005845:Georgia; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D006801:Humans; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012011:Red Cross