Acute radiation syndrome in a non-destructive testing worker: a case report
10.1186/s40557-018-0270-8
- Author:
Ji Sung AHN
1
;
Jai Dong MOON
;
Wonyang KANG
;
Hyeong Min LIM
;
Seunghyeon CHO
;
Dae Young LIM
;
Won Ju PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, 322 Seoyang-ro, Hwasun-gun, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do 58128 Republic of Korea. luvoem@gmail.com.
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Acute radiation syndrome;
Non-destructive testing;
Pancytopenia;
Radiation
- MeSH:
Acute Radiation Syndrome;
Adult;
Anorexia;
Blood Cells;
Blood Transfusion;
Bone Marrow;
Burns;
Contusions;
Dizziness;
Hemorrhage;
Humans;
Information Systems;
Kinetics;
Korea;
Lymphocyte Depletion;
Occupational Exposure;
Pancytopenia;
Radiation Exposure;
Radiation, Ionizing
- From:Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
2018;30(1):59-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: In Korea, there were repeated radiation exposure accidents among non-destructive testing workers. Most of the cases involved local injury, such as radiation burns or hematopoietic cancer. Herein, we report a case of acute radiation syndrome caused by short periods of high exposure to ionizing radiation. CASE PRESENTATION: In January 2017, Korea Information System on Occupational Exposure (KISOE) found that a 31-year-old man who had worked in a non-destructive testing company had been overexposed to radiation. The patient complained of symptoms of anorexia, general weakness, prostration, and mild dizziness for several days. He was anemic. The venous injection areas had bruises and bleeding tendency. Blood and bone marrow testing showed pancytopenia and the patient was diagnosed with acute radiation syndrome (white blood cells: 1400/cubic mm, hemoglobin: 7.1 g/dL, platelets: 14000/cubic mm). He was immediately prohibited from working and blood transfusion was commenced. The patient’s radiation exposure dose was over 1.4 Gy (95% confidence limits: 1.1–1.6) in lymphocyte depletion kinetics. It was revealed that the patient had been performing non-destructive tests without radiation shielding when working in high places of the large pipe surface. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure prevention is clearly possible in radiation-exposed workers. Strict legal amendments to safety procedures are essential to prevent repeated radiation exposure accidents.
