Combined Effects of Radiation and Ultrasound on Embryonic Development in Mice

ICR 마우스의 태아(胎兒)에 대(對)한 방사선(放射線)과 초음파(超音波)의 공동효과(共同效果)에 관한 실험적(實驗的) 검토(檢討)

The combined effect of radiation and ultrasound has been studied in mouse embryos. Radiation and/or ultrasound were adminstered to ICR mice on day 8 of gestation. Intrauterine death, gross malformation, and fetal body weight were selected as indicators of effects. Does of whole-body ${\gamma}-irradiation$ were 0.5 to 2.5 Gy and those of ultrasound were $0.5\;W/cm^2$ to $3\;W/cm^2$. Intrautrine mortality increased with increasing radiation dose ; this trend was more remarkable in combination with ultrasound. Gross malformations such as exencephaly and anophthalmia/microphthalmia appeared frequently in the fetuses treated with both radiation and ultrasound. Decreased fetal weight was observed even in mice treated with 1.5 Gy of radiation or $1\;W/cm^2$ of ultrasound. There was a linear relationship between dose and reduction of fetal weight. The fetal weight was sensitive, precise and easy-to-handle indicator for the effects of growth retardation. Intrauterine mortality and frequencies of exencephaly and anophthalmia/microphthalmia were higher than the sum of those induced by radiation and by ultrasound. The results indicatied that the combined action of radiation and ultrasound on intrauterine death and malformations was synergistic.