EMT Practice Test

Category - EMT-Basic

Which is not a likely reaction to acute radiation poisoning of approximately 600 rads?
  1. Prodromal phase onset within hours
  2. Latent phase duration of less than one week
  3. GI syndrome with dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities, GI bleeding and fulminant enterocolitis
  4. Death is likely
  5. Cardiovascular and central nervous system syndrome with refractory hypotension and circulatory collapse, resulting in death within 72 hrs
Explanation
Answer: E - A cardiovascular and central nervous system syndrome with refractory hypotension and circulatory collapse, resulting in death within 24-72 hours, typically occurs at doses of 2000-3000 rads. Typically, acute radiation poisoning at 600 rads has an onset of prodrome within hours, has a latent phase duration of less than a week, and causes a gastrointestinal syndrome that usually results in death within a week.  Immediate emergency treatment at a speciality facility is the best course of action.

This table summarizes some of the impacts of different rads:

25 rad: lowest dose to cause clinically observable blood changes
200 rad: local dose for the onset of erythema in humans
400 rad: whole body LD50 for acute radiation syndrome in humans
1 krad: whole body LD100 for acute radiation syndrome in humans
2-3 krad:  A cardiovascular and central nervous system syndrome with refractory hypotension and circulatory collapse, resulting in death within 24-72 hours
1 to 20 krad: typical radiation tolerance of ordinary microchips
4 to 8 krad: typical radiotherapy dose, locally applied
10 krad: fatal whole-body dose in 1964 Wood River Junction criticality accident
1 Mrad: typical tolerance of radiation-hardened microchips
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