The Effects of Partial-Body Irradiation on Delayed Responses

Journal Article · Tue Mar 31 04:00:00 EST 1964 · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1964.tb53585.x· OSTI ID:4024968

Carsten, Arland L.; Innes, J. R. M.

A series of studies involving the partial-body and partial-brain irradiation of rats and monkeys has yielded the following information concerning delayed effects. Rats receiving 650 rads to the lower body showed a transient weight loss followed by a return to normal growth pattern, whereas animals receiving 1300 rads upper-body exposure exhibited a similar early weight loss, and in addition a permanent impairment of growth. Exposures of 650 rads upper body or 1300 rads lower body resulted in no acute deaths in rats, but did cause an equal and significant lifetime shontening. The above exposures resulted in a hastening of the appearance of tumors in the irradiated animals as compared to the unirradiated controls. Rats or monkeys receiving x-ray doses in the 2000 to 4000-rad range to the spinal cord developed, after a period of five to nine months, a lesion of the spinal cord characterized by hind-limb paralysis and loss of sphincter control of bladder and rectum. The clinical signs could be related to a demyelinating lesion affecting the ventral and lateral columns of white matter, proceeding to malacia and liquefaction. Monkeys receiving 3500-rad x-ray exposures to a limited portion of the brain began to show EEG changes after six to eight weeks, followed by clinical changes at three months. Finally, pathology of the irradiated brain was characterized by necrobiotic lesions and gross swelling of the cortical or subcortical structures, circumscribed and confluent areas of demyelination, zones of reactive astrocytic response and a variety of vascular changes.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, N.Y.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-18-019586
• OSTI ID: 4024968
• Report Number(s): BNL-7131; 0077-8923
• Journal Information: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Journal Name: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 114; ISSN 0077-8923
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
BRAIN
CARCINOGENESIS
CYTOLOGY
DISEASES
ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY
IRRADIATION
MICROSCOPY
MONKEYS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOSENSITIVITY
RATS
SPINAL CORD
STANDARDS
SURVIVAL TIME
TISSUES
TUMORS
VARIATIONS
WEIGHT
X RADIATION