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Acute radiation syndrome (ARS), also known as radiation sickness or radiation poisoning, is a collection of health effects that are caused by being exposed to high amounts of ionizing radiation in a short period of time. [1] Symptoms can start within an hour of exposure, and can last for several months.
Radiation enteropathy represents the longer-term, chronic effects that may be found after a latent period most commonly of 6 months to 3 years after the end of treatment. In some cases, it does not become a problem for 20–30 years after successful curative therapy.
Radiation colitis is injury to the colon caused by radiation therapy. It is usually associated with treatment for prostate cancer or cervical cancer . [ 1 ] Common symptoms are diarrhea , a feeling of being unable to empty the bowel , [ 2 ] gastrointestinal bleeding, and abdominal pain.
The location of radiation treatment is important, as radiation directed at regions of the body other than the pelvis (eg brain, chest, etc) should not prompt consideration of radiation proctopathy. [6] Endoscopy is the mainstay of diagnosis for radiation damage to the rectum, with either colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy.
After the scan is complete, the patient is encouraged to eat and drink normally, with special attention to plenty of fluids. The barium sulfate is excreted through defecation , so extra fluid intake helps prevent constipation , which is a possible side effect (see Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library for an example of a possible patient ...
Common side effects include fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea and anorexia, usually self-limiting. Post-radioembolization syndrome occurs in 20-70% of patients that undergo traditional radioembolization, presenting with shakes, chills, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain/discomfort, and/or cachexia and possibly hemodynamic changes, rarely ...
The risk of systemic infection is higher when the organism has a combined injury, such as a conventional blast, thermal burn, [3] or radiation burn. [2] There is a direct quantitative relationship between the magnitude of the neutropenia that develops after exposure to radiation and the increased risk of developing infection. Because no ...
Most side effects are predictable and expected. Side effects from radiation are usually limited to the area of the patient's body that is under treatment. Side effects are dose-dependent; for example, higher doses of head and neck radiation can be associated with cardiovascular complications, thyroid dysfunction, and pituitary axis dysfunction ...