Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

HEMATOLOGY OF THE ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME (in German)

Journal Article · · Strahlentherapie (West Germany)
OSTI ID:4162256

The reports about the findings on persons, who were expossed to different doses of ionizing radiation during radiation accidents make it possible to give a better analysis of the "hematologic type" of the acute radiation syndrome in relation to diagnosis, course of the disease, and therapy. Whereas the blood cell counts during the first 48-hr period do not permit unequivocal conclusions on the radiation dose and the course of the disease, the bone marrow aspiration gives irformation about the extant of the damage visible on the disorder of the cells and mitoses. The clinical course demonstrates that the main danger of the "hematologic types" is from the infections due to granulocytopenia and hemorrhage due to thrombopenia in the 4th and 5th week. Since the spontaneous power for regeneration of the bone marrow is remarkable in the lethal range and since after only 21 days following the accident an increase of the mitosis rate was observed, the type of therapy should depend on the spontaneous regeneration or the absence of regeneration. In case of spontaneous recovery the therapy of choice is symptomatic treatment of the infections with antibiotics and treatment of the hemorrhages with transfusions of thrombccytes and fresh blood. Only if spontaneous regeneration of the bone marrow does not occur or can not be expected, the transfusion of functioning hemopoietic tissue should be considered. Up to now there is no evidence for the success of bone marrow transfusions in the treatment of patients who suffered a radiation accident. (auth)

Research Organization:
Universitat, Heidelberg, Ger.
NSA Number:
NSA-14-022799
OSTI ID:
4162256
Journal Information:
Strahlentherapie (West Germany), Journal Name: Strahlentherapie (West Germany) Vol. Vol: 112; ISSN STRAA
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
German