A Study of the Phases of Radiation Response in the Rat. II. The Effects of Non-Uniform Irradiation

Abstract

Non-uniform dose distributions were achieved by shielding various parts of the bodies of young growing rats during irradiation with X-rays and by administering P32 and Au198 which are localized to some extent in various organs. Changes in growth curves and in blood were used to study the severity of the "initial" phase and of the "acute" phase of radiation response which begin, respectively, about 1 and 10 days after irradiation. The "acute" phase is more severe under conditions of uniform whole body irradiation than with partial body irradiation. The severity of the "acute" phase correlates in general with the severity of the radiation induced anemia. Detailed descr. are given of the effects of intraven. admn. of P32 (4 [mu].c/g.) and of the effects of intraven., intraperit., and intrapleural injn. of colloidal Au198 (5 to 25 [mu]c/g.).