[Human bone marrow burden in dermatologic radiation].

The exposure to radiation of the entire red bone marrow was determined in three dermatologic X-ray treatment situations by means of a phantom in which the bones were supplied with 55 measuring sites. In each measurement the field was in the area of the left cheek. The parameters of radiation were in measurement 1/2/3: voltage = 50/43/43 kV, filter = 1.0/0.6/0.6 mm Al, field = 12.5/12.5/3.0 cm diameter, focus-skin distance = 30/30/15 cm, tissue half-value thickness = 13.0/7.5/5 mm. Related to a surface dose of 400 rad, the radiation exposure of the red marrow was 1555 mrad in measurement 1, 556 mrad in measurement 2 and 118 mrad in measurement 3. These results are discussed. The exposure to radiation of the red marrow in dermatologic X-ray treatments is not negligible and should not be omitted when evaluating the benefit and risk of dermatologic X-ray treatments.