Response of the Liver to Irradiation

Abstract

The hepatoxic effects on the liver of x-ray irradiation is basically the same in all the animal spp. investigated, being similar to that produced by P inges-tion. The threshold dose of irradiation which produced liver injury when given in a single dose was the dose which produced a 70-80% mortality rate. Daily application of small doses of X-rays only produced liver damage when the accumulated dose approx. equalled the lethal dose given in a single exposure. The effects of irradiation were ascribed to the combined influence of the direct impact of the rays plus those accounted for by the histamine theory of radiation effects.