We analyzed on chromosome of peripheral blood cell in comparison to hematological indices from 63 peoples between 1 and 31 years of irradiation exposure. The result showed that the aberrating rate was high in studied groups than control group significantly, especially, the rate of dysenteric choromosome. The hematological alteration is not clear yet.
Chromosome Aberrations ; Whole-Body Irradiation

This study is designed to evaluate the effect of low-dose whole body irradiation (WBI) for treatment of myasthenia gravis(MG) and changes of immunological parameters. According to MG protocol of low dose WBI, eleven patients were selected and followed up for at least one year. Clinical status and immunological parameters were assessed at the time of pretreatment (baseline) and 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 months after initial dose irradiation. The improvement began five weeks after WBI and lasted for 12-month follow-up in 7 patients (good responders) Clinical improvement and immunological changes were more pronounced in good responders. So, it is suggested that low dose WBI may have the role in the treatment of the MG as an another therapeutic modality.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

This paper describes the basic date measurements for total body irradiation with 6 Mv photon beam including compensators designs. The technique uses bilateral opposing field with tissue compensators for the head, neck, lungs, and legs from the hip to toes. In vivo dosimetry was carried out for determining absorbed dose at various regions in 7 patients using diode detectors (MULTIDOSE, Model 9310, MULTIDATA Co., USA). As a results, the dose uniformity of+/-3.5%(generally, within+/-10%) can be achieved with our total body irradiation technique.
Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Leg ; Lung ; Neck ; Toes ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

In total body irradiation (TBI) for leukemia, we have a two methode. One is a AP (anterior-posterior) method and the other is a Lateral methode. Our hospital used lateral methode. TBI must consider about body contour, because of homogeneous dose distribution. For compensation about irregular body contour, we use compensator. For TBI treatment, we must be considered, accurate manufacture of compensator and accurate calculation of dose. We developed the automatic program for TBI. This program accomplished for compensator design and dose calculation for irregular body. This program was developed for uses to use in a windows environment using the IDL language. In this program, it use energy data for each energy: TMR, output factor, inverse square law, spoiler, field size factor. This program reduces the error to happen due to the manual. As a development of program, we could decrease the time of treatment plan and care the patient accurately.
Compensation and Redress ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Leukemia ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

The acute effects of variable dos rates to total body irradiation (TBI) were investigated with 600 cgy of single exposure in the mice as a preclinical model. Total 80 mice (ICR) were used. Twenty of which served as controls, receiving no irradiation. All irradiated mice showed a universal decline in their weight and white blood cell count. The degree of weight loss and leukopenia were similar at 3 different dos rate but slightly prominent with 15 cgy/minute group. The degree of recovery among the groups showed no dose rate dependence. Our results suggest that TBI with 15 cgy/minute may be applicable for clinical therapy with careful evaluation of patient's condition.
Animals ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukopenia ; Mice* ; Weight Loss ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

Myasthenia Gravis can be considered a lymphocyte dyscrasia. We report four cases of myasLhenia gravis, who were treated with whole body irradiation. Total of 180 rad was delivered in 9 fractions for 3 weeks with every other day treabmenL Three out of four cases showed remarkable symptomatic improvement on follow-up during 3 months.
Follow-Up Studies ; Lymphocytes ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Pilot Projects* ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

BACKGROUND: Whole body irradiation (WBI) for myasthenia gravis is known to produce prolonged immunosuppres-sion with rare side effects. This study evaluated the duration of immunosuppression effects of WBI for long-term fol-low-up and decision time of 'booster' WBI treatments by analyzing clinical symptoms and laboratory findings. METHODS: We studied 11 patients with intractable myasthenia gravis. All patients had been treated with WBI and were followed for at least 5 years except for 2 patients died. Clinical status and immunological parameters were assessed at baseline and every year after the initial dose of irradiation. During the follow-up period, patients with declining clinical or immunological parameters were given 'booster' WBI treatments. RESULTS: WBI was associated with objective clini-cal improvements in seven patients: 3 patients had none or mild symptoms without any medications, 3 patients had 'booster' WBI treatments at 34 months(25-40 months) due to clinical or immunological declines, 1 patient had a stable clinical course with anticholinesterase medication. WBI was associated with clinical decline or no change in four patients: 2 patients died and 2 patients did not experience a change in clinical status. WBI produced a long-lasting lym-phopenia for more than 2 years with decreased absolute lymphocytes counts. There was no statistical differences in clinical and immunological parameters between the 'booster' WBI groups and non-'booster' WBI groups in good responders. 'Booster' WBI patients had no significant side effects. CONCLUSIONS: WBI has an effective therapeutic modality in intractable long-term myasthenia gravis. In this study, the duration of immnunosuppression effects of WBI was found to last 2 years. It is suggested that patients with declining clinical or immunological parameters be given 'booster' WBI treatments.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Lymphocytes ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

Dermatomyositis is an inflammatory muscular disease of presumed autoimmune origin. Many possible interventions are available to treat patients with these conditions including corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, plasnapheresis, and total body irradiation. But these therapies are not always effective, and they may be associated with certain serious side effects. Recently polyvalent. intravenous gammaglohulin(IVGG) has been tried with success in inflammatory myopathies after failure of traditional treatment We report a 8-year-old female patient with juvenile dermatomyositis who improved dramatically after alternative IVGG treatment due to side effects of steroid.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Child ; Dermatomyositis* ; Female ; Humans ; Muscular Diseases ; Myositis ; Whole-Body Irradiation

This paper describes the development of TBI technique about fractionated TBI and the relationship between irradiation dose rate and complication; IMRT for TBI and lung compensation technique.
Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Humans ; Radiation Dosage ; Whole-Body Irradiation ; methods

PURPOSE: This study was to obtain the basic dosimetric data using the 10 MV X-ray for the total body irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A linear accelerator photon beam is planned to be used as a radiation source for total body irradiation (TBI) in Chonnam University Hospital. The planned distance from the target to the midplane of a patient is 360cm and the maximum geometric field size is 144cm' 144cm. Polystyrene phantom sized 30 30 30.2cm3 and consisted of several sheets with various thickness, and a parallel plate ionization chamber were used to measure surface dose and percent depth dose (PDD) at 345cm SSD, and dose profiles. To evaluate whether a beam modifier is necessary for TBI, dosimetry in build up region was made first with no modifier and next with an 1cm thick acryl plate 20cm far from the polystyrene phantom surface. For a fixed source-chamber distance, output factors were measured for various depth. RESULTS: As any beam modifier was not on the way of radiation of 10MV X-ray the dmax and surface dose was 1.8cm and 61%, respectively, for 345cm SSD. When an 1cm thick acryl plate was put 20cm far from polystyrene phantom for the SSD, the dmax and surface dose were 0.8cm and 94%, respectively. With acryl as a beam spoiler, the PDD at 10cm depth was 78.4% and exit dose was a little higher than expected dose at interface of exit surface. For two-opposing fields for a 30cm phantom thick phantom, the surface dose and maximum dose relative to mid-depth dose in our experiments were 102.5% and 106.3%, respectively. The off-axis distance of that point of 95% of beam axis dose were 70cm on principal axis and 80cm on diagonal axis. CONCLUSION: 1. To increase surface dose for TBI by 10MV X-ray at 360cm SAD, 1cm thick acrylic spoiler was sufficient when distance from phantom surface to spoiler was 20 cm. 2. At 345cm SSD, 10MV X-ray beam of full field produced a satisfiable dose uniformity for TBI within 7% in the phantom of 30cm thickness by two-opposing irradiation technique. 3. The uniform dose distribution region was 67cm on principal axis of the bean and 80cm on diagonal axis from beam axis. 4. The output factors at mid-point of various thickness revealed linear relation with depth, and it could be applicable to practical TBI.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Particle Accelerators* ; Polystyrenes ; Silver Sulfadiazine ; Whole-Body Irradiation*