DTI and pathological changes in a rabbit model of radiation injury to the spinal cord after 125I radioactive seed implantation

This study investigates the effects of radiation from implanted 125I radioactive seeds on the spinal cord in rabbits. The goal was to understand how different radiation doses affect spinal cord function and structure. The researchers used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a type of MRI, to assess the damage. Rabbits were divided into groups receiving different radiation doses (40, 60, 80, and 100 Gy). After implantation, the rabbits' motor function, pain sensation, and urination were observed weekly. MRI scans were conducted regularly to monitor changes in the spinal cord's apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA). The study found that higher radiation doses led to greater spinal cord damage, as seen in both the behavioral observations and the DTI scans. The findings suggest that DTI can be a useful tool for detecting early radiation injury to the spinal cord.

• 1
  Increased radiation dose (D90) correlated with aggravated pathological damage of neurons and microvessels in the gray matter and white matter.
• 2
  DTI showed that with increased D90, the apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy values were increased.
• 3
  Clinical performance scores were significantly lower in the 100 Gy group than in the 40 Gy, 60 Gy and 80 Gy groups 6 months after 125I seed implantation.