Effect of accelerated argon ions on the retina
It has been postulated that high energy heavy ions cause a unique form of damage in living tissue, which results from the high linear energy transfer of accelerated single particles. We have searched for these single-particle effects, so-called microlesions, in composite electron micrographs of retinas of rats which had been irradiated with a dose of 1 Gy of 570 MeV/amu argon ions. The calculated rate of energy deposition of the radiation in the retina was about 100 keV/micron and the influence was four particles per 100 micron 2. Different areas of the irradiated retinas which combined would have been expected to be traversed by approximately 2400 particles were examined. We were unable to detect ultrastructural changes in the irradiated retinas distinct from those of controls. The spatial cellular densities of pigment epithelial and photoreceptor cells remained within the normal range when examined at 24 h and at 6 months after irradiation. These findings suggest that the retina is relatively resistant to heavy-ion irradiation and that under the experimental conditions the passage of high energy argon ions does not cause retinal microlesions that can be detected by ultrastructural analysis.
- Research Organization:
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6823302
- Journal Information:
- Radiat. Res.; (United States), Vol. 115:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
RETINA
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
ARGON IONS
CELL DIVISION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ENERGY TRANSFER
EPITHELIUM
RADIATION DOSES
RATS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DOSES
EYES
FACE
HEAD
IONS
MAMMALS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RODENTS
SENSE ORGANS
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals