State of the pituitary and thyroid system in children at various times after exposure to radiation as a result of the Chernobyl accident

A clinical/laboratory examination was made of children from the age of 1-14 years from the area of high radiation. The examination was carried out on a continuous basis, beginning in the first half of May 1986 and is still in progress. At no stage was there any clinical evidence of thyroid dysfunction, but, in a significant proportion of the children an increase in the size of the thyroid gland was noted. In May and June 1986, 77.5% of the children had a first or second degree enlargement of the thyroid gland. At the same time, there was an increase in the level of T4 in the blood: 85.20 +- 7.36 nmole/L to 348.33 +- 38.26 nmole/L. In the subsequent stages, a gradual normalization of these parameters was noted. No other significant functional or organic disorders of the pituitary-thyroid system were detected. (author).

Authors

Benikova, E.A.; Bol'shova, E.V.; Zvonova, I.A. (and others).

Descriptors

chernobylsk-4 reactor; children; medical examinations; pathological changes; pituitary gland; radiation accidents; radiation effects; thyroid; accidents; animals; body; diseases; endocrine glands; enriched uranium reactors; glands; graphite moderated reactors; hormones; lwgr type reactors; mammals; man; medical surveillance; organs; peptide hormones; power reactors; primates; reactors; thermal reactors; vertebrates

Subject Category

Actual Accidents

Source

Report; International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria); Medical aspects of the Chernobyl accident; IAEA-TECDOC--516.; Jul 1988.; 381 p.; p. 293-298.

Place of Publication

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Availability

Available from INIS in electronic form.