Dirty bomb: Difference between revisions
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**Radioactive material spread locally via blast, and carried more distantly via aerosolized or particulate "plumes" | **Radioactive material spread locally via blast, and carried more distantly via aerosolized or particulate "plumes" | ||
**Multiple radioisotopes from various sources (e.g. nuclear fuel waste, medical radiography, etc) could be employed | **Multiple radioisotopes from various sources (e.g. nuclear fuel waste, medical radiography, etc) could be employed | ||
*Most injuries and deaths will be caused by blast injuries, not radiation injury<ref name="Chin">Chin FK. Scenario of a dirty bomb in an urban environment and acute management of radiation poisoning and injuries. Singapore Med J. 2007 Oct;48(10):950-7.</ref> | |||
*Triage of patients by radiation dose received is important and should be coordinated with disaster response officials. | |||
==Diagnosis== | ==Diagnosis== | ||
*Clinical diagnosis | |||
==Work-Up== | ==Work-Up== | ||
*Determined by injuries | |||
*If [[Acute radiation syndrome]] suspected, establishing baseline with CBC and CMP is appropriate. | |||
==DDx== | ==DDx== | ||
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==Treatment== | ==Treatment== | ||
*Priority is treatment of blast injuries and burns | |||
*ED treatment of [[Acute radiation syndrome]] is primarily supportive | |||
==Disposition== | ==Disposition== | ||
*Most patients require admission. | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
*[[Disaster medicine]] | *[[Disaster medicine]] | ||
*[[Acute radiation syndrome]] | |||
*[[Radiation exposure (disaster)]] | *[[Radiation exposure (disaster)]] | ||
Revision as of 09:31, 13 July 2015
Background
- Also known as "Radiological Dispersal Device"[1]
- Consists of radioactive material packaged into non-nuclear (conventional) bomb[1]
- No nuclear fusion/fission occurs
- Detonation causes injuries from conventional explosion and also spreads radioactive material, causing radiation injuries and cancer
- Radioactive material spread locally via blast, and carried more distantly via aerosolized or particulate "plumes"
- Multiple radioisotopes from various sources (e.g. nuclear fuel waste, medical radiography, etc) could be employed
- Most injuries and deaths will be caused by blast injuries, not radiation injury[2]
- Triage of patients by radiation dose received is important and should be coordinated with disaster response officials.
Diagnosis
- Clinical diagnosis
Work-Up
- Determined by injuries
- If Acute radiation syndrome suspected, establishing baseline with CBC and CMP is appropriate.
DDx
Treatment
- Priority is treatment of blast injuries and burns
- ED treatment of Acute radiation syndrome is primarily supportive
Disposition
- Most patients require admission.
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rosoff H, von Winterfeldt D. A risk and economic analysis of dirty bomb attacks on the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Risk Anal. 2007 Jun;27(3):533-46.
- ↑ Chin FK. Scenario of a dirty bomb in an urban environment and acute management of radiation poisoning and injuries. Singapore Med J. 2007 Oct;48(10):950-7.