A PERSISTENT BONE GROWTH DEFICIT IN THE XIRRADIATED RAT,
Abstract
A critical assessment of the roentgenographic technique was made for a quantitative determination of bone and tail length in the rat. The method was found to be very reliable if error sources were controlled and minimized. The early and long term effects of x-irradiation on skeletal growth were investigated with respect to the age at exposure. Rats exposed at a juvenile age (37 days) to a sub-lethal dose (430 rads) exhibited a retardation in femur, tibia and tail growth within 14 days after exposure. The maximum deficit was attained within 30 days after exposure and remained approximately constant for the next 300 days. Femur and tibia length of animals which were exposed to x-rays as young adults (101 days of age) did not differ from those of controls for the first 2 months after exposure. However, there was a deficit in femur and tibia length in these animals at the end of life span. The magnitude of the bone length reduction at the end of life span was dose dependent. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 10, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0434219
Entities
People
- D. J. Kimeldorf
- R. D. Phillips
Organizations
- Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory