Bilan des accidents d'exposition interne

Abstract

The definition of an internal exposure accident is much more difficult to establish clearly than the one concerning external overexposures. For the latter, the notion is implicifely related to resulting health damage, while in most cases any internal contamination, regardless of its level and the upcoming or no of a detriment, is qualified as accidental. Therefore, this overview is limited to (1) large scale internal exposure accidents because large groups of individuals, highly contaminated or not, were involved; (2) occupational contaminations which sometimes resulted info long-term health effects, and (3) the results of the follow-up of patients who were either explored or treated in the 30s and 50s by alpha emitting radionuclides. Taking into account the previous caution, the groups of patients who received relatively large amounts of thorotrast (used as contrast material) and of radium (considered as a large spectrum therapeutic agent) are very interesting as well; these two medical practices resulted into various longterm health effects, and were used, In some degree, to quantify the risk in man of alpha emitters.