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

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*

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*

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*

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*

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this study is to develop new payment rates for services of Radiation Oncology, considering costs of treating patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey of forty hospitals has been conducted in order to analyze the costs of treating patients. Before conducting the survey, we evaluated and reclassified the individual service items currently using as payments units on the fee-for-service reimbursement system. This study embodies the analysis of replies received from the twenty four hospitals. The survey contains informations about the hospitals' costs of 1995 for the reclassified service items on Radiation Oncology. After we adjust the hospital costs by the operating rate of medical equipment, we compare the adjusted costs with the current payment rates of individual services. RESULTS: The current payment rates were 5.05-6.58 times lower than the adjusted costs in treatment planning services, 2.22 times lower in block making service, 1.57-2.86 times lower in external beam irradiation services, 3.82-5.01 times lower in intracavitary and interstitial irradiation and 1.12- 2.55 times lower in total body irradiation. CONCLUSION: We could conclude that the current payment system on Radiation Oncology does not only reflect the costs of treating patients appropriately but also classify the service items correctly. For an example, when the appropriate costs and classification are applied to TBI, the payment rates of TBI should be increased five times more than current level.
Classification* ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Hospital Costs ; Humans ; Radiation Oncology* ; Whole-Body Irradiation

We studied retrospectively on clinical assessment of treatment in myasthenic patients who visited on our department regularly since 1985. They were divided as a group based on therapeutic modalities such as a thymectomy, steroid therapy. Combined therapy(steroid and thymectomy), plasma exchange. And whole body irradiation. We evluated clinical effectiveness of these therapeutic modalities and come up with following conclusions. Alltherapeutic modalities showed effectiveness. In steroid therapy, thymectomy and the combined therapy. W needed at least 6-24 months for clinical improvement. In thymectomy, rognosis was depend on the number of germinal centers. In whole body irradiation. Effectiveness was shown at 5h week and continued to 6th to 12th months. We also noted that symptomatic improvement was correlated with decreased lymphocyte counts. The effect of plasma exchange was rapid but only short duration.
Germinal Center ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Plasma Exchange ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymectomy ; Whole-Body Irradiation

Several immunosuppressive agents were used to prolong the survival of full-thickries skin homografts in albino rats. The grafts were squares in size of 2.0cm. The results were as follows. 1. The mean survival time of skin homografts in control group was 6.0 days. 2. Total body X-irradiation (500r) to the recipients 24 hours before grafting resulted in prolongation of survival of the grafts. (Mean, 12.5 days) 3. Administration of Imuran(azathioprine) to the recipients in a does of 5mg/kg/day for 7 days. before grafting resulted in prolongation of survival of the grafts. (Mean, 9. 6 days) 4. Spleneetomized homografted rats showed no prolongation of survival of the grafts. (Mean, 6.1days) 5. Administration of prednisolone to the recipients in a does of 2mg/kg/day for 7 days before grafting resulted in no prolongation of survival of the grafts. (Mean, 6.3 days) 6. Above results were discussed and compared with those of others.
Allografts* ; Animals ; Azathioprine* ; Immunosuppressive Agents* ; Prednisolone* ; Rats* ; Skin* ; Splenectomy* ; Survival Rate ; Transplants ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

The kidney is one of the most radiosensitive organs in the abdominal cavity and is the dose-limiting structure in cancer patients receiving abdominal or total body irradiation. In the present study, the effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on radiation nephropathy was evaluated in rats. A total of 72 rats were equally randomized into 4 groups: Control, CoQ10, irradiation with 10 Gy (RT) + placebo, or RT + CoQ10. The 2 RT groups received single 10 Gy of abdominal irradiation. The 2 CoQ10 groups were supplemented daily with 1 mL of soybean oil containing 10 mg/kg of CoQ10. The RT + placebo and control groups received same dose of soybean oil. After 24 weeks, laboratory and histopathologic findings were compared. The 2 RT groups showed significant increases in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels and significant pathologic changes such as glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. CoQ10 supplementation resulted in significant reductions of BUN and creatinine levels compared with the RT + placebo group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.038, respectively). CoQ10 treatment significantly attenuated glomerular and tubular changes of irradiated kidney in semiquantitative analysis (P < 0.001 for both). Administration of CoQ10 can alleviate the radiation-induced nephropathy.
Abdominal Cavity ; Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Kidney ; Rats* ; Soybean Oil ; 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*