Long term effects of therapeutic irradiation on the lung

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:4407307

Phillips, T L; Margolis, L W; Wara, W M

From thirteenth international congress of radiology; Madrid, Spain (15 Oct 1973). Effects of radiation on the lung are of great importance in radiation therapy. The clinical syndrome is characterized by the onset of fever, cough, and dyspnea one to three months after completion of treatment. Progression to permanent fibrosis is noted in patients given higher doses. Histologically the changes are seen chiefly in the capillary bed of the lung with coneurrent changes in the pulmonary epithelium. The result is a depletion of the nunnber of alveolar capillaries, a thickening of their walls, and an overall reduction of the ability of the lung to exchange air. The timedose relationships in radiation pneumonitis both in experimental animals and in patients are exemplified by a rather small effect of time. Calculations based on time-dose formulas from the laboratory yield useful guidelines as to the radiation tolerance of the lung which have withstood the test of clinical experience. (auth)

• Research Organization: California Univ., San Francisco (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-29-002880
• OSTI ID: 4407307
• Report Number(s): UCSF--10-P-2-211; CONF-731012--3
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*LUNGS-- BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
*PNEUMONITIS-- RADIOINDUCTION
*RADIOTHERAPY-- SIDE EFFECTS
CAPILLARIES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
FIBROSIS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
MAMMALS
N48510* --Life Sciences--Radiation Effects on Animals--Man
N48520 --Life Sciences--Radiation Effects on Animals--Vertebrates
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PATIENTS
PHOTON BEAMS
RADIATION INJURIES
RESPIRATION
VASOCONSTRICTION RADIOINDUCTION