Dosimetric Comparison of Exposure Pathways to Human Organs and Tissues in Radon Therapy.

Werner Hofmann,Alexander Hubmer,Herbert Lettner

doi:10.3390/ijerph182010870

Werner Hofmann, Alexander Hubmer + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010870

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Abstract

Three therapeutic applications are presently prescribed in the radon spas in Gastein, Austria: exposure to radon in a thermal bath, exposure to radon vapor in an exposure chamber (vapor bath), and exposure to radon in the thermal gallery, a former mine. The radiological exposure pathways to human organs and tissues in these therapeutic radon applications are inhalation of radon and radon progeny via the lungs, radon transfer from water or air through the skin, and radon-progeny deposition on the skin in water or air. The objectives of the present study were to calculate radon and radon-progeny doses for selected organs and tissues for the different exposure pathways and therapeutic applications. Doses incurred in red bone marrow, liver, kidneys, and Langerhans cells in the skin may be correlated with potential therapeutic benefits, while doses to the lungs and the basal cells of the skin indicate potential carcinogenic effects. The highest organ doses among the three therapeutic applications were produced in the thermal gallery by radon progeny via inhalation, with lung doses of 5.0 mSv, and attachment to the skin, with skin doses of 4.4 mSv, while the radon contribution was less significant. For comparison, the primary exposure pathways in the thermal bath are the radon uptake through the skin, with lung doses of 334 μSv, and the radon-progeny attachment to the skin, with skin doses of 216 μSv, while the inhalation route can safely be neglected.

Highlights

IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
Doses were calculated for selected organs and tissues of the human body, comprising the lungs, red bone marrow, liver, kidneys, and the Langerhans and basal cells of the skin
While incurred doses in red bone marrow, liver, kidneys, and the Langerhans cells in the skin may be correlated to potential therapeutic effects, doses to the lungs and the basal cells of the skin indicate potential carcinogenic effects

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. In the traditional radon spas Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein, Austria, natural radonrich water in springs and high radon levels in ambient air in the thermal gallery have been successfully applied in the past for the treatment of various rheumatic diseases, most notably, ankylosing spondylitis [1,2]. The physiological and cellular mechanisms induced by the very low radiation doses resulting from the radon and radon-progeny exposures are still not yet fully understood, several studies in the Gastein treatment facilities have proven the effectiveness of therapeutic radon treatment [3,4,5,6,7]. A comprehensive list of recommended indications for radon treatment and a summary of clinical trials with radon applications have recently been published by Maier et al [8]

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