Difference Between X-Ray Damage and Thermal Burns (Key Item)

DOE-HDBK-1109-97

Radiological Safety Training for Radiation-Producing (X-Ray) Devices

Instructor=s Guide

Lesson Plan

Instructor=s Notes

exposure to X-rays. X-ray damage has historically

been referred to as a radiation "burn," perhaps

because the reaction of the skin after the radiation

exposure may appear similar to a thermal burn. In

fact, X-ray damage to the tissue is very different

from a thermal burn and there is no sensation or

feeling as the damage is occurring.

In radiation burns, the radiation does not harm the

outer, mature, nondividing skin layers. Rather,

most of the X-rays penetrate to the deeper, basal

skin layer, damaging or killing the rapidly dividing

germinal cells that are otherwise destined to replace

the outer layers that slough off. Following this

damage, as the outer cells are naturally sloughed

off, they are not replaced. Lack of a fully viable

basal layer of cells means that X-ray burns are slow

to heal, and in some cases may never heal.

Frequently, such burns require skin grafts. In some

cases, severe X-ray burns have resulted in gangrene

and amputation.

An important variable is the energy of the radiation

because this determines the depth of penetration in

a given material. Heat radiation is infrared,

typically 1 eV; sunburn is caused by ultraviolet

rays, typically 4 eV; and X-rays are typically 10 -

100 keV, which are capable of penetrating to the

depth of the basal layer of the skin.