This week's artwork was donated by Gavin, a pediatric cancer patient who received treatment at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia . The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Introduction Radiation induced soft-tissue and bone necrosis, while rare, presents a challenge to the treatment team.
High radiation doses, previous surgery and trauma all increase the risk of the necrosis.
When it develops, pain, disability, progression, or even death due to loss of protective barriers may result. Superimposed infectious processes can further compromise the situation. Such therapy greatly increases the amount of oxygen availabile to tissue. Under such circumstances, repair of tissue damaged by high doses of ionizing radiation is facilitated. The lag phase shows no measurable angiogenesis but reflects capillary budding.