Radiation exposure: After 24 hours near a nuclear reactor, what will happen to white blood cell count, reticulocytes, and hemoglobin levels?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the physiological effects of exposure to radiation, particularly focusing on the changes in white blood cell count, reticulocytes, and hemoglobin levels after being near a nuclear reactor for 24 hours.
Answer
White blood cells decline, false elevation in reticulocytes, and hemoglobin levels decline.
After 24 hours near a nuclear reactor, the white blood cell count, including lymphocytes and possibly granulocytes, will decline. Reticulocyte levels may show false elevation due to decreased red blood cells, and hemoglobin levels will generally decline.
Answer for screen readers
After 24 hours near a nuclear reactor, the white blood cell count, including lymphocytes and possibly granulocytes, will decline. Reticulocyte levels may show false elevation due to decreased red blood cells, and hemoglobin levels will generally decline.
More Information
Lymphocytes typically drop early and stay low for weeks, granulocytes may first increase but then decline, and hemoglobin decline reflects overall decreased red blood cell count.
Sources
- Radiation Effects on Blood Counts - REMM - remm.hhs.gov
- Medical management of the acute radiation syndrome - PMC - NCBI - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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