title: Development of a minipig model for lung injury induced by a single high-dose radiation exposure and evaluation with thoracic computed tomography.
abstract: Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) due to nuclear or radiological exposure remains difficult to treat because of insufficient clinical data. The goal of this study was to establish an appropriate and efficient minipig model and introduce a thoracic computed tomography (CT)-based method to measure the progression of RILI. Göttingen minipigs were allocated to control and irradiation groups. The most obvious changes in the CT images after irradiation were peribronchial opacification, interlobular septal thickening, and lung volume loss. Hounsfield units (HU) in the irradiation group reached a maximum level at 6 weeks and decreased thereafter, but remained higher than those of the control group. Both lung area and cardiac right lateral shift showed significant changes at 22 weeks post irradiation. The white blood cell (WBC) count, a marker of pneumonitis, increased and reached a maximum at 6 weeks in both peripheral blood and bronchial alveolar lavage fluid. Microscopic findings at 22 weeks post irradiation were characterized by widening of the interlobular septum, with dense fibrosis and an increase in the radiation dose-dependent fibrotic score. Our results also showed that WBC counts and microscopic findings were positively correlated with the three CT parameters. In conclusion, the minipig model can provide useful clinical data regarding RILI caused by the adverse effects of high-dose radiotherapy. Peribronchial opacification, interlobular septal thickening, and lung volume loss are three quantifiable CT parameters that can be used as a simple method for monitoring the progression of RILI.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Geol
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Pathology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, KIRAMS, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sunhoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Hwan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Suk
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dal Nim
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, KIRAMS, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Kyung
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Myung
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, KIRAMS, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol Hyeon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Pathology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, KIRAMS, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Sook
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Exposure and Therapeutics, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea ssh3002@kirams.re.kr.
authors.forename: Sehwan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D000069079:Radiation Exposure; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Göttingen minipigs; computed tomography; lung injury; radiation