title: Risks and management of radiation exposure.
abstract: High-energy ionizing radiation is harmful. Low-level exposure sources include background, occupational, and medical diagnostics. Radiation disaster incidents include radioactive substance accidents and nuclear power plant accidents. Terrorism and international conflict could trigger intentional radiation disasters that include radiation dispersion devices (RDD) (a radioactive dirty bomb), deliberate exposure to industrial radioactive substances, nuclear power plant sabotage, and nuclear weapon detonation. Nuclear fissioning events such as nuclear power plant incidents and nuclear weapon detonation release radioactive fallout that include radioactive iodine 131, cesium 137, strontium 90, uranium, plutonium, and many other radioactive isotopes. An RDD dirty bomb is likely to spread only one radioactive substance, with the most likely substance being cesium 137. Cobalt 60 and strontium 90 are other RDD dirty bomb possibilities. In a radiation disaster, stable patients should be decontaminated to minimize further radiation exposure. Potassium iodide (KI) is useful for iodine 131 exposure. Prussian blue (ferric hexacyanoferrate) enhances the fecal excretion of cesium via ion exchange. Ca-DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) and Zn-DTPA form stable ionic complexes with plutonium, americium, and curium, which are excreted in the urine. Amifostine enhances chemical and enzymatic repair of damaged DNA. Acute radiation sickness ranges in severity from mild to lethal, which can be assessed by the nausea/vomiting onset/duration, complete blood cell count findings, and neurologic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Emergency Department, Emergency Medicine Director and Vice-Chief of Staff, Kapiolani Medical Center For Women & Children, Honolulu, HI.
authors.forename: Loren G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004249:DNA Damage; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive; D006801:Humans; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D012306:Risk; D023481:Terrorism; D014857:Warfare
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D002614:Chelating Agents; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011868:Radioisotopes