Examination (Systemic)
Radiation syndrome manifests as an acute or delayed result of exposure of the whole body to high doses of ionising radiation.
It causes a non-specific clinical picture, including:
- Gastrointestinal effects
- Cardiovascular effects
- Neurological effects
- Haematological changes
The most vulnerable tissues are affected first, and the severity, speed of onset and duration of effects depend on dose. This can be broken down into four phases:
Prodromal phase
The typical picture starts with a prodromal phase lasting about 12 hours:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Neurological signs
Latent phase
In the latent phase, which lasts 5-7 days, the patient seems to recover.
Period of obvious illness
The latent phase is followed by a period of obvious illness:
- Gingival bleeding
- Epistaxis
- Petechiae
- Systemic infections and gastrointestinal symptoms lasting up to 4 weeks
The risk of infection is highest at 25-35 days due to marrow suppression.
Recovery or death
The final stage is recovery or death.