[ RadSafe ] Medical report on the Sterigenics victim, 2006-03-11

[Rainer.Facius at dlr.de]

The report answers one of the questions then raised: Why did the victim live fairly normal for 3 weeks and survived a 4.5 Sv dose - with a substantial probability for early hematopoietic lethality - before he presented to the clinic?

The detailed results demonstrate that he experienced a rather heterogeneous exposure which spared significant parts of the hematopoietic tissue and of the gastro-intestinal tract.


Regards, Rainer

 

Dr. Rainer Facius
German Aerospace Center
Institute of Aerospace Medicine
Linder Hoehe
51147 Koeln
GERMANY
Voice: +49 2203 601 3147 or 3150
FAX:   +49 2203 61970

Bertho J M, Roy L, Souidi M, Benderitter M, Gueguen Y, Lataillade J J, Prat M, Fagot T, T. De Revel T, Gourmelon P.
New Biological Indicators to Evaluate and Monitor Radiation-Induced Damage: An Accident Case Report. 
Radiation Research 169#5(2008)543-550

Abstract: The aim of this work was to use several new biological indicators to evaluate damage to the main physiological systems in a victim exposed accidentally to ionizing radiation. Blood samples were used for biological dosimetry and for measurement of the plasma concentrations of several molecules: Flt3 ligand to assess the hematopoietic system, citrulline as an indicator of the digestive tract, and several oxysterols as lipid metabolism and vascular markers. The cytogenetic evaluation estimated the dose to the victim to be between 4.2 and 4.8 Gy, depending on the methodology used. Monitoring the Flt3 ligand demonstrated the severity of bone marrow aplasia. In contrast, the citrulline concentration showed the absence of gastrointestinal damage. Variations in oxysterol concentrations suggested radiation-induced damage to the liver and the cardiovascular system. These results were correlated with those from classic biochemical markers, which demonstrated severe damage to the hematopoietic system and suggested the appearance of subclinical damage to the liver and cardiovascular system. These results demonstrate for the first time the importance of a multiparameter biological approach in the evaluation of radiation damage after accidental irradiation.