Hepatic injury after whole-liver irradiation in the rat

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Radiat. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3576510· OSTI ID:5612068

Geraci, J P; Jackson, K L; Mariano, M S; Leitch, J M

Radiation-induced hepatic injury in rats, which is characterized by marked ascites accompanied by liver necrosis, fibrosis, and vein lesions, is described in this study. These adverse sequelae are produced within 30 days after irradiation if there is surgical removal of two-thirds of the liver immediately after whole-liver irradiation. The LD/sub 50/30/ day and median survival time after liver irradiation and two-thirds partial hepatectomy is 24 Gy and 17 days, respectively. Death is preceded by reduction in liver function as measured by (/sup 131/I)-labeled rose bengal clearance. Prior to death, liver sepsis and endotoxemia were detected in most irradiated, partially hepatectomized animals. Pretreatment of the animals with endotoxin and/or antibiotic decontamination of the GI tract resulted in increased survival time, but no irradiated, partially hepatectomized animal survived beyond 63 days. This suggests that sepsis and endotoxemia resulting from the bacteria in the intestine are the immediate cause of death after 30-Gy liver irradiation and partial hepatectomy. It is concluded that the hepatectomized rat model is an economical and scientifically manageable experimental system to study a form of radiation hepatitis that occurs in compromised human livers.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Washington, Seattle
• OSTI ID: 5612068
• Journal Information: Radiat. Res.; (United States), Vol. 101:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASCITES
RADIOINDUCTION
FIBROSIS
LIVER
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PARTIAL BODY IRRADIATION
NECROSIS
CESIUM 137
GAMMA RADIATION
HEPATECTOMY
IODINE 131
RATS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXTERNAL IRRADIATION
GLANDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IODINE ISOTOPES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RODENTS
SURGERY
SYMPTOMS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals