Radiation-induced multi-organ involvement and failure: challenges for radiation accident medical management and future research

A common feature of radiation accidents is the medical consequences of dose-dependent radiation-induced multi-organ involvement (RIMOI) and radiation-induced multi-organ failure (RIMOF). Both RIMOI and RIMOF contribute to the clinical outcome and prognosis of radiation accident victims. A most remarkable fact in this context is that the specific pathophysiological mechanisms involved in RIMOI and RIMOF as a function of time and in relation to the extent of radiation injury as well as the therapeutic ratios for specific treatment options based on our understanding of the roles of failure or the regenerative potential of different organs to a large extent remain unknown. A re-visit of the case reports of patients suffering from RIMOF as a consequence of RIMOI underlines the specific roles of individual organs, for example the haematopoietic system as one of the most sensitive and critical organs for early radiation-induced health impairments. The development of such radiation-induced impairments gains more ...