Effect of X-Ray to the Kidney on the Renal Function of the Dog

Abstract

The remaining kidney of 3 heminephrectomized dogs was exposed in situ to 2010, 2750, and 3780 r in 13 days from a 250-kilovolt X-ray unit. Tubular maxima for p-aminohippuric acid showed a prompt depression proportional to dosage. Following the larger doses, the inulin clearance and renal blood flow temporarily increased, and then fell to a comparable and significant degree. The tubular maxima, in association with compensatory regrowth of tubules, returned to normal, while the inulin clearance remained deficient. These findings have suggested that the ultimate damaging effect of large doses of X-ray to the kidney was to whole nephrons and was probably vascular in nature. Tubular function was the most sensitive index of acute radiation effect, but the growth capacity of the tubules soon compensated for any decrements in function.