What is a Radiation Injury?

Radiation injury is the damage to tissues inside the body as a result of exposure to some forms of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation can come from either man-made or natural sources. Man-made sources include the use of diagnostic machines such as X-ray machines and radiation therapy machines. Natural sources come from the radioactive elements like radon, uranium, and plutonium.

When the body is exposed to large doses of ionizing radiation, structures of genetic materials such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) inside the cells are affected. If the body cannot repair the radiation injury to the cells, these cells may die or undergo some mutations. This can sometimes result in sudden manifestation of illness or the later development of cancer. The effects of radiation injury often vary depending on many factors, including the dose or amount of radiation the body has received, the site of the body exposed, the speed or rate of radiation, and the type of radiation.

The gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and nervous system are often affected by radiation injuries. Constantly dividing cells in the bone marrow are also frequently affected, as well as the lymphoid cells, liver cells, egg cells, and sperm cells. Some incidence of fertility problems in males and females have been associated with radiation injury.

Most of the time, the severity of the tissue damage depends on the length of exposure and the dose of radiation. A large dose given rapidly one time is usually more damaging when compared to the same dose given in a span of weeks or months. Total body radiation is also more damaging compared to exposure of only some parts of the body. The rate of cellular proliferation in children is higher compared to adults, making children more susceptible to suffer radiation injury.

Accidents in industrial plants can cause sudden radiation-induced injury similar to thermal burns. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, and redness, often followed by peeling skin, or desquamation, in the affected area. Frequent treatments with radiation therapy can have adverse effects like the development of radiation ulcers in the skin of some patients. Large doses of radiation to the skin can sometimes cause cutaneous radiation injury (CRI), often characterized by swelling, tingling, redness, and itching of the area. Most patients recover from these radiation injuries; however, others suffer permanent loss of hair, and darkening and ulceration of the affected skin area.