Histopathological investigation of the cytotoxic impact of low and high doses of computed tomography ionizing radiation on the hepatorenal organs, testis, and brain tissues of albino rats

Background/Aim: Computed tomography (CT) radiation compared with the plain film radiography involves much higher doses of radiation, resulting in a marked increase in radiation exposure to the patient and radiological team. This study is aimed to investigate the possible cytotoxic impact of low and high doses of CT ionizing radiation on the hepatic, renal, testis, and brain tissues of albino rats following whole‑body irradiation. Materials and Methods: Thirty healthy male Wistar albino rats aged 9–10 weeks, weighing 180–200 g, were randomly assigned into five groups(A, B, C, D, and E) of six rats each. Rats in Groups A, B, C, and D underwent noncontrast helical total‑body CT irradiation once a week for 2 weeks and received varying doses of CT radiation, while Group E rats were not irradiated and served as control. At 72 h after the last irradiation, five animals of each group were sacrificed, and liver, kidney, testis, and brain tissues were immediately and carefully dissected and fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution for 24 h followed by dehydration in ascending series of ethyl alcohol, clearing in xylene, and embedding in paraffin wax and then sectioned at 4µ thickness by sledge microtome. The sections were mounted on glass slides and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Results: The rats in Groups A and B received low dose‑length product (DLP) of 74.74 mGy/cm and 352.38 mGy/cm, respectively. Groups C and D rats received high DLP of 628.6 mGy/cm and 1388.42 mGy/cm, respectively. Group E rats were not irradiated and received 0 mGy/cm (control). Histological findings showed that the rats in Groups C and D had evidence of radiation‑induced microscopic lesions on the studied organs with the exception of kidney, whereas the rats in Groups A and B that received low DLP did not induce any structural changes in the photomicrographs of the studied organs. Conclusion: Cell‑level microscopic lesions in the body organs of the irradiated rats were observed only in the groups that received the highest DLP of the CT radiation (Groups C and D). From the cellular structural changes observed in the liver, testis, and brain of the irradiated rats, it is concluded that CT radiation at a DLP of 628.6 mGy/cm per exposure and 1388.46 mGy/cm per exposure becomes inimical to the vital organs. These findings emphasize the need to adhere strictly to as low as reasonably achievable principle in the dispensing of CT radiation in both human and animal radiological procedures.