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Acute Radiation Effects

Acute radiation exposure (leading to acute radiation syndrome) involves full-body exposure to a high dose of radiation within a short period of time. Acute radiation sickness can be fatal, but in cases of exposure under 5 Gy (500 rem), medical treatment can often save a person's life. The effects range from gastrointestinal problems like vomiting and diarrhea to seizures and infection.

  1. Types of Exposure

    • Many survivors of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 showed signs of acute radiation syndrome, which is when this disorder was first discovered. During the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union were first conducting nuclear tests, accidental exposure led to acute radiation sickness, and sometimes death. For instance, Japanese fishermen on the "Lucky Dragon" in 1954 were exposed to the fallout from the first hydrogen bomb test. All fell ill, and one man eventually died. During the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, nuclear workers and people who immediately responded to the emergency received acute radiation exposure. Radiation received during medical treatments or medical tests is not enough to induce acute radiation sickness.

    Amount of Exposure

    • At less than 2 Gy (200 rem), most people will recover without medical treatment. Between 2 and 5 Gy (200-500 rem), medical treatment is usually necessary to ensure survival. For exposures over 10 Gy (1000 rem), a person's survival is highly unlikely. The amount of time it takes for a person to recover or to die from a high, full-body dose of radiation depends on the amount of exposure; it may range from hours to months.

    Stages of Radiation Sickness

    • There are four stages of acute radiation sickness. During the first stage, a person generally suffers from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The second stage is known as a latency period because the person is symptom-free and begins to feel better. In the third stage, the initial symptoms will return, in addition to hair loss, seizures and skin lesions. In severe cases, the person will experience infection and a loss of motor control. Surviving the third stage leads to the fourth stage, recovery.

    Body Systems Affected

    • While the heart is rather resilient to radiation exposure, radiation in high doses has ruinous effects on other parts of the body. Radiation kills stem and white blood cells, as well as bone marrow. Infection is a danger for people suffering from acute radiation exposure. An extreme exposure to radiation can also destroy the mucosal lining of the stomach, which leads to gastrointestinal problems but can also cause sepsis. Radiation is also detrimental to the central nervous system, resulting in vascular lesions, cerebral edema (brain swelling) and the death of neurons in the brain.

    Treatment

    • Treatment might include sedatives for seizures, medications to combat vomiting and diarrhea as well as fluids and electrolytes. An antibiotic can help combat infection, since the body's immune system may be weakened from radiation exposure. In severe cases, doctors may attempt bone marrow transplantation and multiple blood transfusions.

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