Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 13, 2025
08:34
Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
20.8K
Treating infections with ionizing radiation: a historical perspective and emerging techniques
B van Dijk1, J V C Lemans2, R M Hoogendoorn2
1Department of Orthopaedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. b.vandijk-8@umcutrecht.nl.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
|August 2, 2020
Summary
Radiation therapy offers a promising alternative for treating antibiotic-resistant infections, particularly orthopedic infections. While historical use showed mortality reduction, further research into long-term effects and targeted internal radiation is needed.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Oncology
- Medical Physics
Background:
- Antibiotic resistance is rising, complicating treatment of implant-associated infections like periprosthetic joint infections.
- New antibiotic development is declining, necessitating alternative therapeutic strategies.
- Ionizing radiation, historically used, is explored as a treatment for infectious diseases, especially orthopedic infections.
Observation:
- A systematic review of 216 publications on radiation for infections was conducted, analyzing 182 on external and 34 on internal radiation.
- External radiation therapy demonstrated mortality reduction in pre-antibiotic era infections but lacked long-term follow-up.
- Internal radiation with targeted radionuclides shows potential for treating microbial infections with minimized collateral damage.
Findings:
- External radiation therapy showed significant mortality reduction in certain infections historically.
- Long-term effects and malignancy risks of external radiation were not adequately investigated.
- Internal radiation, using targeted alpha and beta emitters, shows promise for bacterial and fungal infections.
Implications:
- Radiation therapy presents a feasible strategy for combating planktonic and biofilm-related microbial infections.
- Further investigation into radiation treatment for infections is warranted.
- Individual patient risk assessment is crucial when considering radiation therapy for infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:24X-ray Imaging
9.5K
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845–1923) was experimenting with electrical current when he discovered that a mysterious and invisible "ray" would pass through his flesh but leave an outline of his bones on a screen coated with a metal compound. In 1895, Röntgen made the first durable record of the internal parts of a living human: an "X-ray" image (as it came to be called) of his wife’s hand. Scientists worldwide quickly began their own experiments with...
9.5K
01:28Isotopes and Radioisotopes
10.7K
In the early 1900s, English chemist Frederick Soddy realized that an element could have atoms with different masses that were chemically indistinguishable. These different types are called isotopes — atoms of the same element that differ in mass. Isotopes differ in mass because they have different numbers of neutrons but are chemically identical because they have the same number of protons. Soddy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1921 for this discovery.
An isotope containing...
An isotope containing...
10.7K
01:26Physical Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth: Radiation and Filtration
876
Radiation and filtration are essential tools for microbial control, targeting microorganisms through distinct mechanisms. Radiation eliminates microbes by damaging their DNA, either killing them or inhibiting their growth. Based on wavelength, radiation is classified into two types: nonionizing and ionizing radiation.Non-ionizing radiation, such as UV radiation (200–400 nm), is absorbed by DNA, causing defects that effectively disinfect surfaces, air, and water, including safety cabinets.
876
01:17Radiation: Applications
1.6K
The average temperature of Earth is the subject of much current discussion. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space; it receives almost all its energy from the radiation of the Sun and reflects some of it into outer space. Dark space is very cold, about 3 K, so Earth radiates energy into it. For instance, heat transfer occurs from soil and grasses, the rate of which can be so rapid that frost can occur on clear summer evenings, even in warm latitudes.
The average...
The average...
1.6K
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
3.5K
Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
3.5K
01:20Infection
11.4K
When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
11.4K