1.3.5 Radiation Dermatitis
ICD-11
Definition
Acute or chronic skin damage caused by short wavelength electromagnetic radiation (x-rays or gamma rays).
Aetiology & Pathogenesis
DNA damage from high energy radiation.
Signs & Symptoms
Varies with acuity:
- Acute radiation dermatitis: erythema 10 days after exposure.
- Chronic radiation dermatitis: poikiloderma (hypo- and hyperpigmentation, atrophy and telangiectasia occurring more than 2 years after exposure.
Localisation
Irradiated area.
Classification
Acute and chronic radiation dermatitis.
Course
Most acute radiation dermatitis heals completely; chronic radiation dermatitis leads to scarring and thus permanent changes.
Complications
In chronic radiation dermatitis, there is a risk of developing radiation ulcers and radiation keratosis and rarely, squamous cell carcinomas or other radiation-induced tumours.
Diagnosis
History, clinical features.
Differential diagnosis
Burn, scars.
Prevention & Therapy
Acute radiation dermatitis: topical corticosteroids, sometimes systemic corticosteroids for their anti-inflammatory action.
Chronic radiation dermatitis: light protection, sometimes excision of specific lesions.
Differential Diagnosis
Podcasts
Tests
- Radiation dermatitis features a relatively well-circumscribed atrophy of the…
- Chronic radiation dermatitis serves as a site of least resistance (locus minoris resistentiae) for…
- A typical complication of chronic radiation dermatitis is
- The development of radiation dermatitis is independent of the administered dose of radiation
- Which efflorescences appear in chronic radiodermatitis?
- Radiation dermatitis features a relatively well-circumscribed atrophy of the
- Chronic radiation dermatitis serves as a site of least resistance (locus minoris resistentiae) for
- Typical complications of radiation therapy are?
- Statement 1 Phototherapy is the treatment of choice for radiation therapy
- Statement 1 The development of radiation dermatitis is independent of the administered dose of radiation
- Which are features of chronic radiation dermatitis?
- Possible treatment for radiation dermatitis includes?
- What is the latency period of chronic radiation dermatitis?
- Which types of lesions are seen in radiation dermatitis?
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