3.2 Radiation Effects on the Body Following Acute …
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Table 3.1 Health effects of
acute whole-body and
localized radiation exposure
Acute whole-body dose (Sv)
Effect
0.01
Chromosomal changes
(fragments, dicentric
chromosomes, etc.)
0.25
Blood cell changes
(depressed red and white
cell counts)
1
Radiation sickness in about
10% of those exposed
4–5
Lethal dose to 50% of the
population without medical
treatment
7–8
Lethal dose to 50% of the
population with medical
treatment
10
Lethal dose to 100% of the
exposed population
Acute localized dose (Sv)
Effect
2–6
Skin burns: 2–24 h
post-exposure
2–5
Temporary epilation (hair
loss): 2–3 weeks
post-exposure
3–5
Dry desquamation
(peeling): 3–6 weeks
post-exposure
6
Permanent epilation:
3 weeks post-exposure
15–18
Wet desquamation
(blistering): 4–6 weeks
post-exposure
18
Necrosis: 10 weeks or more
post-exposure
The effects of high radiation dose to limited parts of the body may range from
no observable effects (if the dose is low enough) to blistering, burns, or necrosis
depending on the dose received. The effects of whole-body acute radiation exposure
can be a bit more complex, and they are summarized in Table 3.1, derived from a
variety of sources [1–3] and [10].