GUINEA-PIG SPINAL-CORD AS A MODEL FOR THE STUDY OF LATE RADIATION-INJURY AND REPAIR

• DOI: 10.3892/ijo.4.4.809
• Publication Date: 2014-03-10T07:20:36Z
• Authors: K NARAYAN; R WITHERS; C GARCIA; K MASON; S KUMAR
• Keywords: Grey matter

The risk of normal tissue damage imposes severe limitations on the radiotherapy malignant tumours. aim this study was to examine morphology late radiation injury with special reference microvasculature in irradiated guinea pig spinal cord. Gamma from a cobalt-60 source used irradiate lumbar region pigs. A total dose up 94.5 Gy given using 4.5 fractions. Twenty such pigs which survived more than 2 years post-irradiation were deeply anaesthetized and Mercox resin perfused through thoracic aorta. Ten minutes following perfusion, segments cords removed either fixed formalin for histology morphometry or corroded KOH microvascular cast preparation. latter observed under scanning electron microscope. All specimens showed multifocal white matter vacuolation. None these spaces communicated blood vessels. No vacuolation grey matter. Glial cell counts reduced. Microvascular revealed 3.30% area occupied by vasculature non-irradiated corresponding value 2.38% (p=0.003). difference vascular noted (9.75%) (10.36%; p=0.36) casts did not reveal telangiectasia. However, focal avascular regions. This consistent light microscopic observation degeneration necrosis These results suggest that primarily glial elements is secondarily affected.