Summary
Three-month-old WAG/Rij rats were irradiated with 300 kV X-rays on the lumbar region of the spinal column with doses below the level for causing paralysis due to radiation radiculomyelopathy.
8–9 months after irradiation, degeneration of predominantly the ventral nerve roots of the cauda equina was observed. Three stages were distinguishable:
-
I)
Demyelination and proliferation of Schwann cells;
-
II)
Local swelling of ventral nerve roots, with concentric layers of Schwann cells resembling hypertrophic neuropathy;
-
III)
Malignant Schwannoma, invading roots and spinal cord.
It is concluded that the degenerative and proliferative lesions represent a continuous series of stages of slowly progressive lesions. The ventral nerve root degeneration (1st stage) is similar to that observed in aging, unirradiated rats, normally developing at the age of 18–20 months.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beal, J. A., Hall, J. L.: A light microscopic study of the effects of X-irradiation on the spinal cord of neonatal rats. J. Neuropath. Exp. Neurol.33, 128–143 (1974)
Berg, B. M., Wolf, A., Simms, H. S.: Degenerative lesions of spinal roots and peripheral nerves in aging rats. Gerontologia6, 72–80 (1962)
Bradley, W. G., Fewings, J. D., Cumming, W. J. K., Harrison, R. M.: Delayed myeloradiculopathy produced by spinal X-irradiation in the rat. J. Neurol. Sci.31, 63–82 (1977)
Burek, J. D., van der Kogel, A. J., Hollander, C. F.: Degenerative myelopathy in three strains of aging rats. Vet. Pathol.13, 321–331 (1976)
Cavanagh, J. B.: Effects of X-irradiation on the proliferation of cells in peripheral nerve during Wallerian degeneration in the rat. Br. J. Radiol.41, 275–281 (1968)
Corbin, K. G., Gardner, E. D.: Decrease in number of myelinated fibres in human spinal roots with age. Anat. Red.68, 63–74 (1937)
Gilmore, S. A.: Delayed myelination of neonatal rat spinal cord induced by X-irradiation. Neurology16, 749–753 (1966)
Gilmore, S. A.: Spinal nerve root degeneration in aging laboratory rats: a light microscopic study. Anat. Rec.174, 251–258 (1972)
Griffiths, I. R., Duncan, I. D.: Age changes in the dorsal and ventral lumbar nerve roots of dogs. Acta Neuropath. (Berl)32, 75–85 (1975)
van der Kogel, A. J.: Radiation tolerance of the rat spinal cord: time-dose relationships. Radiology122, 505–509 (1977)
van der Kogel, A. J., Barendsen, G. W.: Late effects of spinal cord irradiation with 300 kV X-rays and 15 MeV neutrons. Br. J. Radiol.47, 393–398 (1974)
Thomas, P. K., Lascelles, R. G., Stewart, G.: Hypertrophic neuropathy. In: Vinken and Bruyn: Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol. 21, Part 1, Ch. 8, pp. 145–170. Amsterdam: North-Holland 1975
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van der Kogel, A.J. Radiation-induced nerve root degeneration and hypertrophic neuropathy in the lumbosacral spinal cord of rats: the relation with changes in aging rats. Acta Neuropathol 39, 139–145 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00703320
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00703320