Berk L B, Hodes P J
Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Yale J Biol Med. 1991 Mar-Apr;64(2):155-65.
Radiation was used extensively for the treatment of all types of infections before the advent of antibiotics. Although this mode of therapy is now in disrepute, radiation therapists of that era were firm believers in the ability of radiation to cure infections. A review of the literature suggests, but certainly does not prove, that low-dose local radiation, in the range of 75 to 300 roentgens, is an effective treatment modality for a wide variety of infections. Two then-prevailing rationales held that the effect was due either to radiation damage to the immune cells, causing stimulation of the immune response, or to the increase in local inflammation with resultant increased blood flow. Modern research has been limited but provides support for both arguments. Although there are no present indications for using radiation as therapy for infectious disease, a reasonable argument can be made from the available data that radiation is effective for the treatment of localized infections. The mechanisms of low-dose radiation as a treatment for infections remain unclear. The known and probable long-term sequelae of low-dose local irradiation preclude its common use for this condition. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this review will stimulate investigations into this relatively unexplored area of radiobiology.
在抗生素出现之前，放射疗法被广泛用于治疗各类感染。尽管这种治疗方式如今已声名狼藉，但那个时代的放射治疗师坚信放射疗法能够治愈感染。对文献的回顾表明（但肯定无法证明），75至300伦琴范围内的低剂量局部放射是治疗多种感染的一种有效治疗方式。当时流行的两种理论认为，这种效果要么是由于放射对免疫细胞造成损伤，从而刺激免疫反应，要么是由于局部炎症增加，导致血流增加。现代研究有限，但为这两种观点都提供了支持。尽管目前没有使用放射疗法治疗传染病的指征，但根据现有数据可以合理地认为，放射疗法对治疗局部感染是有效的。低剂量放射治疗感染的机制仍不清楚。低剂量局部照射已知的和可能的长期后遗症使其无法普遍用于这种情况。然而，希望这篇综述能激发对放射生物学这一相对未被探索领域的研究。
