Summary
Strontium-90 was injected i. v. into pregnant rats on day 18 post conception (p. c.). This caused a remarkable transplacental radioactivity uptake and accumulation in the ossification centers of the skull basis. The total radiation dose within the surface of these regions was consequently calculated to be 0.6–1.2 Gy within the entire lifespan. About 50% of it was delivered during the 7 days following the injection of the isotope. the pathologic examination of the offspring throughout their lifetime revealed a pituitary tumor frequency in the exposed groups which was about tenfold in the males and threefold in the females in comparison to the controls. A very outstanding result in the animals treated was the occurrence of metastasizing meningeal sarcomas in about 6% of all cases. In four cases (=2%) the simultaneous occurrence of a pituitary adenoma and of a meningeal sarcoma could be observed.
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schmahl, W., Kollmer, W.E. Radiation-induced meningeal and pituitary tumors in the rat after prenatal application of strontium-90. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 100, 13–18 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405897
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405897