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Stereology techniques in radiation biologyClinicians involved in conventional radiation therapy are very concerned about the dose-response relationships of normal tissues. Before proceeding to new clinical protocols, radiation biologists involved with conformal proton therapy believe it is necessary to quantify the dose response and tolerance of the organs and tissues that will be irradiated. An important focus is on the vasculature. This presentation reviews the methodology and format of using confocal microscopy and stereological methods to quantify tissue parameters, cell number, tissue volume and surface area, and vessel length using the microvasculature as a model tissue. Stereological methods and their concepts are illustrated using an ongoing study of the dose response of the microvessels in proton-irradiated hemibrain. Methods for estimating the volume of the brain and the brain cortex, the total number of endothelial cells in cortical microvessels, the length of cortical microvessels, and the total surface area of cortical microvessel walls are presented step by step in a way understandable for readers with little mathematical background. It is shown that stereological techniques, based on a sound theoretical basis, are powerful and reliable and have been used successfully.
Document ID
20040087625
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Kubinova, Lucie
(Institute of Physiology Videnska 1083, CZ-14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic)
Mao, XiaoWen
Janacek, Jiri
Archambeau, John O.
Nelson, G. A.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 2003
Publication Information
Publication: Radiation research
Volume: 160
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0033-7587
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Non-NASA Center
NASA Discipline Radiation Health
NASA Program Biomedical Research and Countermeasures

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