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Radiation-induced lung injury: a hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Journal Article · · Ann. Intern. Med.; (United States)
; ; ; ; ; ;
Radiation pneumonitis occurs 6 to 12 weeks after thoracic irradiation, and is thought to be due to direct radiation-induced lung injury. Four patients who developed pneumonitis after unilateral thoracic irradiation for carcinoma of the breast were studied with bronchoalveolar lavage, gallium scan of the lung, and respiratory function tests. On the irradiated side of the chest, all four patients showed an increase in total cells recovered from the lavage fluid and a marked increase in the percentage of lymphocytes. When results for the unirradiated lung were compared with results for the irradiated lung, there was a comparable increase in total cells and percentage of lymphocytes. Gallium scans showed increases for both irradiated and unirradiated lungs. Prompt improvement was seen after corticosteroid therapy in all patients. The fact that abnormal findings occur equally in irradiated and unirradiated lung is inconsistent with simple direct radiation-induced injury and suggests an immunologically mediated mechanism such as a hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Research Organization:
St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney (Australia)
OSTI ID:
6896053
Journal Information:
Ann. Intern. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: Ann. Intern. Med.; (United States) Vol. 109:4; ISSN AIMEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARCINOMAS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
GALLIUM ISOTOPES
GLANDS
INJURIES
ISOTOPES
LAVAGE
LEUKOCYTES
LUNGS
LYMPHOCYTES
MAMMARY GLANDS
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
PNEUMONITIS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SIDE EFFECTS
SOMATIC CELLS
THERAPY