the currently reactor wreckage in fukushima raised the following important questions: is our knowledge of the possible dangers of ionizing radiation sufficient to warrant special action? what is the role of the medical community in technical radiation accidents from windscale to fukushima? what is the role of the medical community in terrorist radiation attacks? are we prepared for those challe...

introduction: while the development of fistulae is a well-known complication of radiotherapy, such fistulae can often be challenging to manage. case presentation: we describe the case of a 37 year old male who developed in succession a urethrocutaneous fistula to the thigh, a rectourethral fistula and a peritoneo-urethral fistula 35 years after radiotherapy for pediatric pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma...

This final article in the series on the medical management of ionizing radiation injuries and illnesses focuses on the effects of acute ionizing radiation exposure to one of the largest organ systems of the body-the skin. These injuries may extend beyond the skin into deeper tissues and cause local radiation injury. There are numerous causes of these injuries, ranging from industrial incidents ...

the hematopoietic syndrome is anticipated when a dose of radiation greater than 100 cgy is received. the resulting clinical situation is life-threatening because of opportunistic infections and gradual decline in immune competency due to irradiation. because of evidence of a possible immunomodulatory role for cimetidine, an antagonist of histamine h2 receptors, we studied the effects of this dr...