Citation

Oliveira AR, Hunt JG, Valverde NJ, Brandão-Mello CE, Farina R. Health Phys. 1991; 60(1): 17-24.

Affiliation

Industrias Nucleares do Brasil S.A., Rio de Janeiro.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Health Physics Society, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1983975

Abstract

On 13 September 1987, a radiation accident occurred in the city of Goiânia in Central Brazil. Approximately 250 people were exposed to a 137Cs source from an abandoned radiotherapy unit. At least 14 patients showed some degree of bone marrow depression, and eight developed the classical signs and symptoms of acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Twenty-eight people presented local radiation injuries ranging from first to third degree, and 104 individuals showed evidence of internal contamination. This paper describes the circumstances of the event, the first-aid measures taken, the criteria adopted for triage of the exposed population, and the radiation protection procedures used during the clinical management of the irradiated individuals.

Language: en