The relative biological effectiveness of fractionated doses of fast neutrons (42 MeVd→Be) for normal tissues in the pig: Pt. 4

The effects of fractionated doses of fast neutrons (42 MeVb→Be) on the radiation response of the pig kidney have been assessed and compared with those observed after X irradiation. Following X irradiation there was a marked increase in the total dose at which renal function was preserved with decreasing fraction size. The rate of this increase was dependent on overall treatment time; for fractionated irradiation given over 18 or 39 days the exponents related to fraction number, N, were 0.36±0.03 and 0.48±0.003, respectively. There was no significant change in the iso-effect dose for renal injury following fractionated irradiation with fast neutrons where there was also little effect of varying overall treatment time. (author)