Whole Body X-irradiation of Experimental Animals A short summary of the methods used at the M.R.C. Radiobiological Research Unit, A.E.R.E., Harwell, between 1949-1956

Abstract

Use of conventional X-ray therapy machines for whole body irradiation of experimental animals is described. Irradiation from one side only gives a sufficiently uniform dose distribution in mice. In rats and larger animals non-uniformity of dose distribution due to absorption is considerable, although the average dose is very close to the dose measured at the position its center would occupy. Bilateral techniques are recommended if dose distributions uniform to 5% are desired. Dose distributions may be estimated fairly closely from standard depth dose tables for semi-infinite phantoms.