The response of mouse skin to hyperthermia combined with fast neutrons or X-rays.
The effects of hyperthermia combined with fast neutrons (mean energy approximately 7.5 MeV) or X-rays (250 kVp) were studied in the skin of the mouse ear and foot. Hyperthermia was achieved by immersion in water at temperatures of 41.5-43.0 degrees C for 1 hour. The heat treatments used caused no observable tissue injury other than transient erythema but they enhanced the response to both neutrons and X-rays. The enhancement of neutron damage increased as the heating temperature was increased, as is well known for X-rays. When heat was given after irradiation the thermal enhancement ratio (t.e.r.) for neutrons was similar to that for X-rays. When heat was given before irradiation the neutron t.e.r. was less than that for X-rays. Consequently, the relative biological effectiveness of fast neutrons compared with X-rays was not altered by giving heat after irradiation but it was reduced by giving heat before irradiation.
D000818:Animals; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005214:Fast Neutrons; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D051379:Mice; D009502:Neutrons; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014965:X-Rays