Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Slide 34
Localized radiation injury can also occur with therapeutic radiation for cancer treatment,
although this is minimized by fractionated treatment and the use of multiple radiation
“windows” and shielding.
Findings are related to dose and generally follow a more severe course as the dose
increases. For example 300 rads or 0.3 Gy will result in localized hair loss after a couple
weeks, while doses above 1000 rads or 1 Gy will damage deeper skin structures,
leading to tissue loss, and the possibility of poor wound healing. .
Lesions may not appear for days or weeks, particularly with relatively low doses.
The procedures used in radiation therapy units include targeting a tumor via multiple
angles (windows), delivering the total dose over a period of daily treatments over weeks
(fractional), and shielding uninvolved areas of the body.
December 2008 Version 2.0 Page 397