A worker in a Co-60 medical products radiation sterilization facility has by-pas

Question

A worker in a Co-60 medical products radiation sterilization facility has by-passed various interlock systems to retrieve a package which fell off the conveyor belt. His dosimeter is read quickly by the company and re-read, showing an estimated dose to the thorax and pelvis of approximately 4.5 Gy. He has vomited x 4 in the first two hours after reaching the hospital. He is now at the local medical facility and you suspect that the acute radiation syndrome might be eminent. (a) Describe in detail what medical issues might be faced by his treating physicians. (b) What lab tests and biodosimetry might be helpful in planning for his treatment. (c) If the patient survives under the excellent treatment you recommend, what would be the increased lifetime risk of cancer. d) What cancers would be most likely?

Explanation / Answer

a)the treating physicians should be very careful in treating the acute radiation syndrome because the patient is extremally contaminated with radiation so first contamination should be removed by removing the clothes which results in 80 - 90 % elimates the contamination and hair and skin is washed with soap and warm water,and irrigation of the contaminated wounds and then the physician must reassured thatb the dose is minimal. so he is not affected. b)The lab tests are frequent complete blood count(CBC) with differential count, and consider tissue and blood typing(HLA),Chromosomal analysis, biological dorsimetry(it is theindividual dose evaluation based on biological endpoint induced by ionizing radiation) in this patient is exposed to 4.5Gy so can gastrointestinal syndrome and hematopoietic syndrome. c)If patient survived then increased lifetime risk of cancer ; generally in these cases the death is result but if patient is survived then increased lifetime risk would be decreased life span and more incidences of cancer occurences. d)the cancers may be leukamia, stomach cancer, breast cancers pelvic cancers etc.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.