Effect of x rays and neutrons on repair and regeneration in the rat spinal cord

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3016(82)90551-X· OSTI ID:5145594

Van der Kogel, A J; Sissingh, H A; Zoetelief, J

Clinical and experimental results of neutron irradiation have shown higher RBE values for the central nervous system (CNS) than for most other normal tissues. This is because of a considerable impairment of the large capacity of the CNS to repair subeffective damage induced by low LET radiation. Decreasing the dose per fraction of X rays increases the CNS tolerance significantly; this has no effect for neutrons. In the cervical spinal cord and the brain, two types of delayed damage can be described, so-called early and late. Different target cells are assumed to be involved, oligodendroglial cells in the early, and vascular endothelium in the late type. In the lumbar cord, the main lesion is nerve root necrosis, with the Schwann cell as the most probable target. These target cells show differences in response to X rays and neutrons, resulting in different RBE values. The highest RBE is obtained for cervical white matter necrosis. In addition to cellular repair of subeffective damage, long-term tissue regeneration is observed in the spinal cord, beginning at different times for the various types of damage. With neutrons, the rate of long-term regeneration is at least similar, or even more pronounced than for X rays.

• Research Organization: Radiobiological Inst. TNO, Rijswijk, Netherlands
• OSTI ID: 5145594
• Journal Information: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 8:12; ISSN IOBPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BARYONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DELAYED RADIATION EFFECTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
FRACTIONATED IRRADIATION
HADRONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUTRONS
NUCLEONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RATS
RBE
RECOVERY
REPAIR
RODENTS
SPINAL CORD
VERTEBRATES
X RADIATION