title: Response of the mouse mediastinum to single and fractionated X-rays.
abstract: The acute oesophageal response, after localized mediastinal irradiation in unanaesthetized mice, was assessed with a sequential, non-invasive and clinically orientated assay. Changes in body weight, after single and fractionated X-ray doses (8 fractions in 8 or 15 days and 4 fractions in 4 or 13 days), were recorded and the nadir of weight loss for each regime was used as the end-point. In our studies, quantal and non-quantal analyses of the weight loss data gave good dose-response relationships. The shapes of the dose-effect curves for single doses, 4F/4 days and 8F/8 days showed a remarkable degree of radioresistance, which became less apparent when the overall time was increased to 13 and 15 days for 4 and 8 fractions, respectively. The alpha/beta values (7-17 Gy) are within the range found for other acutely responding normal tissues. Histopathological changes were also assessed and the structural changes observed in the oesophageal epithelium, after a single dose of 34 Gy or after 46 Gy given as 3F/6 days, correlated with the gross changes observed in body weight.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Radiotherapy and Radiobiology, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hirn-Stadler
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wbra
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rojas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000528:radiation effects; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*