Nasopharyngeal Radium Irradiation:
Current Medical Issues
September 1996
34 minutes

Between 1940 and the mid 1960's, nasopharyngeal radium irradiation was used to treat children with chronic ear infections and hearing loss, as well as World War II submariners and aviators with otic barotrauma.   NRI was a fairly common medical treatment throughout the U.S. and other countries such as Canada, France, and the Netherlands.  An estimated 500,000 to 2,000,000 people were given the treatment.  The CDC has produced a videotape designed to educate health care professionals about the emerging medical problems which may result from this former radiation therapy.  Physicians will learn to recognize the symptoms and problems which may develop, and will be informed about circumstances requiring referral.  However, anyone who is interested in NRI can order the video. It should be noted that some contents of the video are technical.

This program presents information on the following topics:

Historical background

Possible effects on patients who received this treatment

Veterans issues

Patient history, and head and neck exam

This VHS video is an edited version of a satellite videoconference aired in September 1996.

To order the video call the Public Health Foundation:
1-800-418-7246

Target Audience: Physicians in general practice, family practice, internal medicine, otolaryngology, radiology, and nuclear medicine, nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the same fields.

Continuing Education Units: .2
Continuing Medical Education Credits: 2

Faculty Presenters:

Richard Jackson, MD, MPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Susan Mather, MD, MPH, Department of Veterans Affairs
Anne  Mellinger-Birdsong, MD, MPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Douglas Ross, MD, Yale University
Donald Proctor, MD, Johns Hopkins University
Henry Royal, MD, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University
Dale Sandler, PhD, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Capt. Steven R. Warlick, MD, Portsmouth Naval Medical Center

This training program was produced in collaboration with the following partners:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Radiation Studies Branch
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
National Center for Environmental Health

Division of Media and Training Services
Public Health Practice Program Office

Department of Veterans Affairs

Department of Defense

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

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