Biological Effects of Radiation Exposure

Biological Effects of Radiation Exposure

• Bomb Explosions of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

• Marshal island Thermonuclear fall out

• Uranium miners

• Radium Dial painters

• Pioneer x-ray technicians

 Biological Effects of Radiation Exposure

• Radiologists

• Mechanical workers

• Industrial users

• Scientists

• Victims of Chernobyl

• Women exposed to x-rays in pregnancy

Effects due to Whole body Exposure

• Low doses in mGy dose not cause any effects

• 0.5 gray can cause decrease in blood cell count

• 1 Gy and above can cause Radiation sickness

• Bone marrow syndrome

• Gastrointestinal syndrome

• Central Nervous System syndrome

 Effects due to Partial body Exposure

• Skin erythema

• Loss of fertility

• Cataract of the eye

• Pneumonitis of the lungs

Skin Erythema
Cataract of the Eye
Pneumonitis of the Lungs
Somatic effects of Radiation

• Effects causes only to exposed individual

• We can visualize somatic effects

• No harm to future generations

Genetic Effects of Radiation

• Germ cells (sperm & ova) is damaged

• These affected cells take part in reproduction

• Chance of genetic diseases increases

• Mental retardation can occur

• Skeletal abnormalities can occur

• Also called Hereditary effects

Early Effects of Radiation Exposure

• Fast growing cells expresses effects within days, weeks to months

• CNS syndrome is an example

• G I Syndrome is also an example

Late Effects of Radiation Exposure

• Late effects occurs years or decades later

• Cataract is an example

• Cancer is also an example

• Hereditary effects comes under this

Deterministic Effects of Exposure

• This appear when a large number of cells are affected

• Deterministic effects are sure to occur

• Deterministic effects needs a threshold

• Severity of effects increase with dose

Stochastic effects of Radiation Exposure

• Caused by non lethal effects

• Usually caused by mutation

• Stochastic effects dose not need a threshold

• Examples are cancer and induction of genetic effects

 Radiation Sickness
• Acute exposure of 1Gy or more can cause Radiation Sickness

• Exposed individual suffers from loss of appetite

• NVD syndrome is common

• Radiation Sickness is the first indication of a person who has exposed to

Radiation
 N V D Syndrome due to Exposure

• Usually occurs after receiving more than 1Gy of Radiation

• Nausea will be there

• Vomiting will be there

• Diarrhea also is seen

• Indicator of high Radiation exposure

 Bone marrow Syndrome

• Also called Hematopoietic syndrome

• Occurs after receiving 2-6 Gray

• Usually occurs by extensive killing of bone marrow

 LD 50/60

The dose in the range of 3-5 Gy Results in the death of 50 %of the
exposed individual due to Hematopoietic syndrome ( Bone marrow
syndrome) with in 60 days globally is known as LD 50/60
Damage to Individual body Organs

• Eye Lens -2-3 Gy

• Gastro Intestinal Syndrome – 10 Gy

• Gonads – 15 Gy

• C N S Syndrome – 25 Gy
Late Effects of Radiation

• Occurs after several years

• Damage of sweat glands

• Lung fibrosis
Modifying factors in Radiation Exposure

• LET of Radiation

• Dose rate of exposure

• Age and Sex of the exposed person

• Physiological factors
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