Changes in Cell and Plasma Volumes Produced by Total Body X Radiation

Haematological Effects of Ionizing Radiation in Cancerous Mice

“…The subsequent increase is delayed as compared with unirradiated cancerous mice. The depression of blood volume 15 days after 150 rad found by us (about 20 per cent) is similar to that found by Storey et al (1950) for healthy mice irradiated with 575 r (about 20 per cent). 550 rad did not depress blood volume values much more.…”

“…Storey, Wish and Furth (1950) using 575 r x-rays in healthy mice found haematocrit depressions of 20 per cent at 10 days and of 30 per cent at 15 days after irradiation. Brecher, Endicott, Gump and Browner (1948) found depressions of red-cell values between 20 and 30 per cent after 400 r in healthy mice, heavier depressions were found after 600 r by Jacobson, Marks, Gaston, Robson and Zirkle (1949).…”

Stimulation of Erythropoiesis in Irradiated Dogs and Rats

“…Following whole body exposure to sublethal doses of X-rays, erythropoiesis was depressed in both dogs and rats, but could be markedly increased by bleeding the animals shortly before or after irradiation. Pappenheimer (6) reported that these mice showed the degenerative lesions of skeletal muscle expected in E deficiency in spite of the fact that there were no symptoms of paralysis. Blood loss 24 hours after irradiation: had no appreciable effect.…”

“…The blood volume, however, is known to be reasonably constant after low doses of irradiation (6). Twelve dogs weighing 10 to 15 kilos were divided into 4 groups: one bled immediately prior to irradiation: a second bled immediately following irradiation; a third bled but not irradiated; and the fourth irradiated but not bled.…”

Hematopoietic Studies in X-Irradiated Newborn Rats

“…In order to check the assumptions upon which this table is based, the mean corpuscular volumes were computed and compared with the observed values. It was assumed that the total blood volume of any given age animal was directly7 propor tional to body weight in both the irradiated and the non-irradiated baby rats, since it has been reported (15,20,22) that total blood volume remained relatively constant or was only slightly diminished after whole body irradiation with dosages in the LD30 range. This was obtained in the face of a greatly reduced erythrocyte volume because of a compensatory increase in the volume of plasma.…”