[The significance of clinical prodromes for dosage estimation after whole-body radiation exposure].
BACKGROUND
The triage of victims after radiation injury is complicated by missing dose values and the fact that most tissues react after a latency period.


METHODS
We evaluated 63 patients undergoing total body irradiation as conditioning regime before bone marrow transplantation in order to find a relation between prodromal symptoms and dose.


RESULTS
Emesis after radiation exposure hints to doses greater than 1.5 Gy. A rise of body temperature above 37 degrees C up to five hours after exposure is related to doses exceeding 2.5 Gy, while an acute onset of diarrhoea is an indicator of a severe accident with more than 9 Gy.


CONCLUSIONS
Besides blood counts and chromosome analyses a careful evaluation of prodromal symptoms can help to classify the severity of radiation accidents.
Hartmann
A
A
Klinik für Strahlentherapie und Radioonkologie, Universität Düsseldorf.
Bojar
H
H
Zamboglou
N
N
Pape
H
H
Schnabel
T
T
Schmitt
G
G
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*
Die Bedeutung klinischer Prodromi zur Dosisabschätzung nach Ganzkörperstrahlenexposition.