Histopathological Study of the Gastrointestinal Tract in CT Radiation Exposed Rats

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the histopathologic impact of low and high doses of CT ionizing radiation on the gastrointestinal tract of albino rats following whole-body irradiation. Study Design: Randomized controlled experiments. Place and Duration of Study: Department of veterinary surgery and radiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, between July 2023 and Jan 2024. Methodology: Thirty healthy male Wistar albino rats aged 9-10 weeks, weighing 180-200g were randomly assigned -into five groups (A, B, C, D, and E) of six rats each. Rats in groups A and B were irradiated with low dose radiation of 74.74 mGy/cm and 352.38 mGy/cm dose length product (DLP) respectively. Group C and D rats were irradiated with high dose radiation of 628.6 mGy/cm and 1,388.42mGy/cm dose length product (DLP) respectively. Group E rats were not irradiated and served as control. Results: CT radiation at the dose length product (DLP) of 74.74 mGy/cm, 352.38 mGy/cm,628.6mGy/cm and 1,388.46 mGy/cm induced histopathologic changes on the small intestine of the irradiated rats while these radiations did not induce any change in the stomach. Conclusion: Cell-level microscopic lesions in the gastrointestinal tract of the irradiated rats indicate that the small intestine is more radiosensitive than the stomach. From the cellular structural changes observed in the small intestine of the irradiated rats, it be concluded that CT radiation at a DLP of 628.6mGy/cm is inimical to the vital organs. These findings could suggest that there could be serious microscopic structural changes that go unnoticed during diagnostic and therapeutic CT irradiation in both animals and humans, and emphasizes the need to adhere strictly to as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) principle in the dispensing of CT radiation.