Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026. Vol. 71. № 5

DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-5-86-92

N.A. Metlyaeva, A.Yu. Bushmanov, I.A. Galstyan, O.V. Shcherbatykh, V.V. Korenkov, M.V. Konchalovsky, S.N. Lukyanova

ASSESSMENT OF THE PERSONALITY AND CURRENT MENTAL STATE OF TWO PATIENTS: WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF CRS I‒II DEGREE OF SEVERITY, BERYLLIOSIS AND CRS II SEVERITY, PLUTONIUM PNEUMOSCLEROSIS

A.I. Burnazyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center, Moscow, Russia

Contact person: N.A. Metlyaeva, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Assessment of personality and current mental state of two patients with CRS I‒II and CRS II degree of severity in combination with berylliosis and plutonium pneumosclerosis, respectively.

Material and methods: The article examines the psychophysiological adaptation characteristics of two patients: patient 1, who suffered from grade I-II CRS combined with beryllium disease at the age of 80, and patient 2, aged 72, diagnosed with grade II chronic respiratory disease combined with plutonium pneumosclerosis. Patients underwent psychophysiological examination in 1999‒2000. Patient 1 began working as a chemical engineer from 1948 to 1953 at an enterprise serviced by Sarov Central Medical and Sanitary Department 50. She worked in unfavorable conditions, with radiation safety standards exceeded several times. In addition to exposure to relatively uniform external gamma irradiation, patient 1 came into contact with a number of radionuclides and beryllium powder in the department where plutonium parts and plutonium hemisphere spheres were coated with a beryllium reflector. Patient 2 worked as a chemical engineer at the Mayak Production Association from 1949 to 1954. She worked in unfavorable conditions, with radiation safety standards exceeded several times. She suffered from grade II chronic radiation syndrome, grade II plutonium pneumosclerosis, and plutonium carriage. Chronic brain damage manifested as brainstem vestibular manifestations. Ostealgic syndrome.

Results: The presented assessment of the personality and current mental state of two patients: a chemical engineer (patient 1) diagnosed with grade I‒II CRS and berylliosis, and a process engineer (patient 2) diagnosed with grade II chronic lymphocytic leukemia and plutonium pneumosclerosis. According to the MMPI data, along with personal characteristics, they demonstrated equally high levels of concern for their health, a tendency toward depression, and psychasthenia. According to the 16PF – high emotionality, realism, self-sufficiency, frustration tension caused by the amount of unmet needs.

Conclusion: The timely detection of the first signs of chronic radiation syndrome (CRS) in patient 1 in 1953 and patient 2 in 1954 and their removal from the main production conditions with regular (once every 2‒3 years) examination and treatment in the Department of Chronic Radiation Syndrome of the Clinical Department of Radiation Medicine of the Institute of Biophysics of the USSR Ministry of Health (A.I. Burnazyan State Research Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia), with spa treatment in the sanatoriums of the Atomic Industry and Energy, were an exceptionally important measure for a more favorable course of the disease in patients with the combined effects of external irradiation and significant amounts of plutonium and beryllium entering the body. A chemical engineer (patient 1) and a process engineer (patient 2) made a significant contribution to the stability and security of our country by participating in the creation of our country’s nuclear shield.

Keywords: berylliosis, chronic radiation syndrome, plutonium pneumosclerosis, hypochondria, depression, hypomania, social introversion, clinical case

For citation: Metlyaeva NA, Bushmanov AYu, Galstyan IA, Shcherbatykh OV, Korenkov VV, Konchalovsky MV, Lukyanova SN. Assessment of the Personality and Current Mental State of Two Patients: with a Diagnosis of CRS I‒II Degree of Severity, Berylliosis and CRS II Severity, Plutonium Pneumosclerosis. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026;71(5):86–92. DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-5-86-92

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Conflict of interest.The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Financing. The study had no sponsorship.

Contribution. Article was prepared with equal participation of the authors.

Article received: 20.04.2026. Accepted for publication: 25.05.2026.