BLOOD VESSEL CHANGES FOLLOWING LOCAL IRRADIATION OF THE BRAIN WITH HIGH- ENERGY PROTONS
The cerebral cortex and thalamus in the brain of the rat were locally irradiated with a narrow beam of high-energy protons. The developing radiolesion was studied, especial attention being paid to disturbances of capillary function. A semi-quantitative comparison between effects at different times after irradiation with different doses in the region 10 to 40 krad was attempted. Three types of changes observed included: impairment of capillary circulation, increase of permeability of trypan blue through the blood-brain barrier system, and necrosis. Depending on the radiation dose, there were periods of 1 to 14 days after irradiation during which no changes were found. The first effects observed were impaired capillary circulation and damage to the blood-brain barrier system for trypan blue. The latter type of changes was always accompanied or succeeded by visible degeneration of nerve cells leading to necrosis. Circulatory disturbances thus seem to precede the trypan blue staining of irradiated brain tissue. As a matter of further discussion a hypothetical mechanism in consistency with observation and modern concepts of the constitution of the bloodbrain barrier system is outlined. The mechanisms involved in the rapid development of lesions might be different from those involved in the production of late delayed radionecrosis. The results show that the detection of changes in the blood-brain barrier system with suitable dyes or radioactive compounds may be used as a means of early diagnosis of the radiolesion. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Uppsala
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-015422
- OSTI ID:
- 4035359
- Journal Information:
- Acta Soc. Med. Upsaliensis, Journal Name: Acta Soc. Med. Upsaliensis Vol. Vol: 65: No. 1-2
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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