Re: Blood Irradiation for GVHD

[Peter Fear <fearp@VAX.CS.HSCSYR.EDU>]

I think that the radiation kills the white cells that would attack the host
cells but since the red blood cells and platelets do not have nuclei they
are not very sensitive to the radiation. A transfusion is not to replace
white cells since they would attack the host.

Pete

At 12:00 PM 3/16/1999 -0600, you wrote:
>
>I'm showing my ignorance.  If healthy blood is irradiated to prevent Graft
vs.
>Host Disease, what is the impact on the healthy cells in the blood.  I guess
>fundamental to my question is a need to better understand the nature of GVHD.
>Presumably the reason for transfusion is to replace lost or dysfunctional red
>cells, platelets, white cells, etc, until the body can resume production
of its
>own.  Is the blood irradiation dose sufficiently high to impact the desired
>cells, and if so, to what extent?  
>
>Gene Carbaugh, CHP
>Internal Dosimetry
>Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
>gene.carbaugh@pnl.gov
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Peter Fear
Radiation Safety Office
SUNY Health Science Center
750 E. Adams St.
Syracuse, NY 13210

fearp@vax.cs.hscsyr.edu
(315)464-6510

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