Doses to Brain, Skull and Thyroid, following X-ray Therapy for Tinea Capitis

In the course of a follow-up study of children irradiated for ringworm infection of the scalp in Israel, the radiation dose reaching the brain, skull and thyroid has been measured. The measurements were performed with the aid of a phantom in conditions similar to those employed originally. The phantom was irradiated in 5 fields at 350 R per field. The upper layers of the brain received radiation doses between 121 and 139 rads while the doses on the lower layer (2·5 cm deep) were smaller by 8 to 20%. The average radiation dose absorbed in the thyroid area was 6·5 rads. The dose absorbed in the outer layer of the skull was estimated to be 4·4 times higher than the dose absorbed by the adjacent skin.