Information for patients needing irradiated blood

Your medical team have requested that you should receive irradiated blood. This information has been added to your medical record at this hospital, but as an extra precaution you should always show the attached card to the team responsible for your care, particularly if attending a different hospital.

Always ask if the blood you are receiving is irradiated before it is transfused.

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What is irradiated blood and why is it needed?

Irradiated blood is blood that has been treated with radiation (by x-rays or other forms of radioactivity) to prevent Transfusion-Associated Graft-versus-Host Disease (TA-GvHD).

What is TA-GvHD?

TA-GvHD is a rare but serious complication of blood transfusion caused by white blood cells called lymphocytes in the transfused blood. Even a very small number of these cells may recognise the patient receiving the blood as ‘different’ and cause a severe illness or even death.

Which patients are at increased risk of TA-GvHD?

Some patients are at particular risk of TA-GvHD. These include:

  • patients receiving transfusions from family members, tissue type matched donors or granulocyte (a type of white blood cell) donors
  • patients with an inherited immune system disorder
  • patients who have developed an immune system disorder, such as Hodgkin’s disease; or due to treatment with certain drugs; or because of a bone marrow/stem cell transplant
  • unborn babies and babies needing exchange transfusions

For some patients the risk of TA-GvHD lasts only a short time. For others the risks remain life-long – for example, patients with an immune system disorder and patients with Hodgkin’s disease. In some situations, the period of risk is not known and hospitals may make different recommendations for some groups of patients.

Your medical team will advise whether you, your child or relative needs irradiated blood and for how long.

How does irradiation work?

Irradiation of blood prevents lymphocytes dividing and causing harm.

Is all blood routinely irradiated?

Red cell and platelet transfusions are not routinely irradiated and need to be irradiated ‘on demand’ for patients at risk of TA-GvHD.

It is important that you remind your medical team of your need for irradiated blood as they have to order it specially.

All granulocyte and tissue type matched transfusions are routinely irradiated. Fresh frozen plasma and plasma products such as anti-D, albumin and immunoglobulin do not contain lymphocytes or cause TA-GvHD and therefore do not need to be irradiated.

Does irradiation damage the blood?

Irradiation does not cause any significant damage. The blood does not become ‘radioactive’ and will not harm you or anyone around you.

What if blood is needed in an emergency?

Although irradiated blood is recommended for you, if you receive non-irradiated blood the risk of TA-GvHD is very small. In emergencies, there may not be enough time to arrange for irradiated blood to be provided as

it may be more important to provide blood quickly. The medical team treating you will judge the balance of these risks. If you have any further questions, please ask the medical team treating you.

Informing staff you need irradiated blood

If you need irradiated blood, a healthcare professional should give you a card with your details on to carry with you. Please remind them if they forget. This card must be shown to a healthcare professional looking after you before each transfusion.

Additional information

As a precautionary measure to reduce the risk of transmitting variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), people who have received a transfusion of blood or any blood component since 1980 are currently unable to donate blood or blood components.

If you are interested in finding out more about blood transfusion please ask your healthcare professional for a copy of our leaflet ‘Will I need a blood transfusion?’.

You may also find the following websites useful:

Blood transfusion - NHS

Blood transfusion - NHS Blood and Transplant

Contact us

We would welcome your feedback and comments on this leaflet. You can contact us in the following ways:

By post to:

Customer Services, NHS Blood and Transplant
Part Academic Block – Level 2
John Radcliffe Hospital
Headley Way
Headington
Oxford
OX3 9BQ

By email to: nhsbt.customerservice@nhsbt.nhs.uk

Or by phone: 01865 381 010

About this leaflet

This leaflet was prepared by NHS Blood and Transplant in collaboration with the National Blood Transfusion Committee. Further supplies can be obtained by accessing the NHSBT Leaflets website.

Individual copies of this leaflet can be obtained by calling 01865 381 010.

About NHSBT

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) saves and improves lives by providing a safe and reliable supply of blood components, organs, stem cells, tissues and related services to the NHS and other UK health services.

We manage the UK-wide voluntary donation system for blood, tissues, organs and stem cells, and turn these donations into products that can be used safely to save lives or radically improve the quality of people’s lives.

We rely on thousands of members of the public who voluntarily donate their blood, organs, tissues and stem cells. Their generosity means each year we’re able to supply around 2 million units of blood to hospitals in England and 7,500 organ and tissue donations within the UK, which save or improve thousands more people’s lives.

For more information:

Visit NHS Blood and Transplant

Email enquiries@nhsbt.nhs.uk

Call 0300 123 23 23