Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

STUDIES ON THE ADRENAL AFTER GENERAL IRRADIATION BY X RAYS IN THE RAT

Journal Article · · Arch. Anat. Pathol., Semaine Hop.
OSTI ID:4692231
BS>Preliminary studies of the effects of ionizing radiation on the thyroid indicated that 60% of the animals developed adrenal lesions, particularly of an infarctoid type. Further studies were conducted by exposing rats to 600-r doses of x rays. Adrenal medulla and cortex were examined histologically 2 to 54 hr later. The medulla showed severe congestion, with ditater capillaries filled by red cells, but no actual hemorrhage was seen. Areas of cellular lysis, in which the nuclei were hyperchromatic and pyknotic, were also seen. Many cells showed complete loss of cytoplasm and that remaining was strongly eosinophilic. Around these areas were cells with swollen nuclei and nucleoli but with normal appearing cytopiasm. The lesions were apparent within 5 hr postirradiation. In the cortex the zona glomerulosa also showed congestion, but less pronounced than in medulla, and destruction of cells. In the zona fasciculata, entire cords of cells showed lysis and pyknotic nuclei, sometimes adjacent to intact cords of cells. The zona reticularis also showed areas of necrotic cells. It is suggested that the pattern of radiation injury, seen in the adrenal as isiets of damaged cells surrounded by relatively normal looking cells, can be explained in terms of primary injury to the blood vessels. The vascular changes include swelling of endothelium, thrombosis, and hyalinization of adventitia. Thus interruption of the blood supply to microregions could account for the observed relative radiosensitivity of the adrenal. (H.H.D.)
Research Organization:
Faculte de Medecine, Nantes, France
NSA Number:
NSA-17-023104
OSTI ID:
4692231
Journal Information:
Arch. Anat. Pathol., Semaine Hop., Journal Name: Arch. Anat. Pathol., Semaine Hop. Vol. Vol: 9
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English