415. Radiat Res. 1990 Apr;122(1):95-100.
Kidney and lung injury in irradiated rats protected from acute death by
partial-body shielding.
Geraci JP(1), Jackson KL, Mariano MS, Michieli BM.
Author information:
(1)Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Community
Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Ninety-six CD-1 male rats were exposed to gamma-ray doses (0-25 Gy) in increments
of 5 Gy. One femur, the surgically exteriorized GI tract, and the oral cavity
were shielded during irradiation to protect against acute mortality from injury
to the hematopoietic system, small intestine, and oral cavity. In addition, the
thoraxes of half of the animals from each dose group were shielded. At
approximately monthly intervals from 2 to 10 months after irradiation the
hematocrit, plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), and 51Cr-EDTA clearance were measured.
During the study 20 thorax-shielded and 19 thorax-irradiated animals died. All
rats whose thoraxes received 25 Gy irradiation and three out of seven rats whose
thoraxes received 20 Gy died 1 to 3 months postirradiation with massive pleural
fluid accumulation. Shielding the thoraxes prevented this mode of death at these
doses. Kidney injury was judged to be the primary cause of death of all
thorax-shielded animals and 15- and 20-Gy thorax-irradiated animals. Animals with
kidney damage had elevated PUN and reduced 51Cr-EDTA clearance and hematocrits.
The relative merits of each of these end points in assessing radiation-induced
kidney injury after total-body exposure are discussed.
PMID: 2108469 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]