Delayed Gastric Emptying in Rats After Whole and Partial Body X-Irradiation

Abstract

Delayed gastric emptying was demonstrated in rats during the period immediately following whole- or partial body X-irradiation by weighing the normally ingested gastric contents of animals sacrificed at the time of, and at one or more intervals after, exposure. The degree of inhibition obtained increased with whole-body radiation dosage. Exposure of transverse body segments comprising 10-12% of the total body weight indicated that the head and abdominal regions (with or without the stomach itself included) were most radiosensitive with respect to producing the delayed gastric emptying response.