Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Slide 26
Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism:
TICs & TIMs
What Toxic Gas Did He Inhale
Module One – Toxic Industrial Gases as Terrorist Threats
Chlorine
26
This case illustrates a typical finding from a severe chlorine gas exposure. This is a
typical chest X-ray picture of chemical lung injury response: the presence of fluffy white
infiltrates bilaterally is consistent with non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema or lung injury –
i.e. not from fluid overload or heart failure.
There are a number of medical conditions where the lungs become congested with fluid.
The chest xray reveals the presence of infiltrates which take on a whitish appearance as
opposed to the black radiographic appearance that appears with clear lung fields. If the
lung congestion is thought to be from a failing heart, this is usually referred to as
pulmonary edema. When the heart is not the culprit, the edema (or fluid congestion) is
thought to be non-cardiogenic. An overwhelming infection can cause a non-cardiogenic
edema. Consequential gas inhalation that results in a diffuse injury may also take on the
appearance of non-cardiogenic edema.
The radiograph on the slide has the appearance of a toxic gas exposure that may result
after exposure to a number of toxic gases discussed in this presentation including
chlorine, phosgene and methyl isocyanate.
December 2008 Version 2.0 Page 150