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Localized Radiation Effects - Organ System Threshold Effects

 

Partial body radiation can cause localized effects if the dose is sufficiently high.
 
Radiation doses to the skin can cause reddening of the skin, blistering, and ulceration. Higher doses are required for blistering and ulceration than for skin reddening.  This photo is from a patient who had 3 angioplasty procedures under fluoroscopic guidance.  It shows deep necrosis of the skin 22 months after an exposure of ~2000 rem.
 
A patient may present with injuries from exposure to a lost or stolen high-activity commercial radiation source.  The patient may not be aware that he or she was exposed.  Such a patient may have localized burn-like skin injuries without a history of heat exposure.  Epilation, a tendency to bleed, nausea and vomiting and/or other symptoms of the acute radiation syndrome may be present.
 
Cataracts have developed in some early radiation workers who received high doses to the lens of their eyes.
 
Loss of fertility has occurred in both males and females whose gonads were exposed to very high doses of radiation.