Studies on radiation injury of the kidney

According to many experimental reports on the radiation renal injuries, the influences of irradiation were observed not only in the irradiated kidney, but also in the contralateral kidney. However, its mechanism has not yet been demonstrated clearly. In order to clarify the mechanism of development of pathophysiological changes seen on the kidney of non-irradiated side, a study was made of function and pathological condition of a remaining kidney after the enucleation of ir radiated side kidney after irradiation. Twenty-eitht rabbits were divided into 4 groups. A: 14 rabbits were irradiated on their left kidney with 60Co- gamma ray 50 Gy doses. B: 6 rabbits were nephrectomized of their left kidney on the first day after 50 Gy irradiation. C: 4 rabbits were nephrectomized of their left kidney on the eighth day after 50 Gy irradiation. D: 4 rabbits were simple nephrectomized. The results suggest that changes on the irradiated side of kidney bring about effect to the contra-lateral kidney at an early stage after the irradiation. (J.P.N.)