Effects of boron neutron capture irradiation on the normal lung of rats.
The whole lung of rats was irradiated with X-rays, thermal neutrons, or thermal neutrons in the presence of p-boronophenylalanine (BPA). A >/= 20% increase in breathing rate, in the period 40-80 days after irradiation, was indicative of radiation-induced pneumonitis. The ED(50) (+/-SE) for a >/= 20% increase in breathing rate, relative to age-matched controls, was 11.6 +/- 0.13 Gy for X-rays and 9.6 +/- 0.08 Gy for neutrons only. This indicated a thermal neutron beam RBE of 1.2 and an RBE of 2.2 for the high-LET components of the dose, assuming a dose reduction factor of 1.0 for gamma rays. Preliminary data indicate the compound biological effectiveness factor for BPA in the lung is approximately 1.5.
Kiger
J L
JL
Nuclear Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 150 Albany Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Kiger
W S
WS
Patel
H
H
Binns
P J
PJ
Riley
K J
KJ
Hopewell
J W
JW
Harling
O K
OK
Coderre
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D001896:Boron Compounds; D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D017564:Radiation Pneumonitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011874:Radiometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D012119:Respiration / Q000528:radiation effects
C436045:4-dihydroxyborylphenylalanine; D001896:Boron Compounds; D010649:Phenylalanine