International Journal of Radiation Research
Volume:14 Issue: 3, Jul 2016

External exposed radiation may play an important role in pathogens of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), although is thought to arise due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The result is dysregulated immune responses due to alteration in the gut microbiota population and the subsequent development of gut inflammation. It has recently been shown that the effect of ionizing radiation on T-cell lymphocytes might be a risk factor of IBS. This article tries to discuss the effects of low dose radiation on alternation in the population of beneficial members of the gastrointestinal tract flora. The result may be activated inflammatory response of mucosal immune status induced Toll like receptors. Lipopolysaccharides produced by most gram-negative bacteria of gastrointestinal tract play a role in the initiation and progress of the Toll like receptors in the intestines. Circulating cytokines and soluble receptors released by activated Th2 can regulate neuronal function via endocrine mechanisms. Disturbance of the cytokine-mediated interaction between cells may lead to neuronal dysfunction or sensory dysfunction, motor dysfunction, or both sensory and motor dysfunction in patient with IBS.

To investigate the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 in the plasma of patients with lung cancer who received radiation therapy (RT), and to analyze the correlation between these cytokines and radiation pneumonitis (RP).
Patients with lung cancer who received 3D-CRT in our hospital were prospectively evaluated. Circulating cytokine levels were measured with ELISA before RT and at the end of RT. Regular follow-up was undertaken 3 months after RT. Statistical analysis was applied to determine the relevance of cytokines to radiation-induced lung injury.
Of 104 patients, 29 (27.9%) developed RP. The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the plasma after RT were significantly higher than before RT (p1).
TNF-α levels in plasma were closely related to RP but still cannot be used as predictors for RP.

Radiation-induced molecular changes on the endothelial surface of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVM) may be used as markers for specific vascular targeting agents. In this study, we examined the level of expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) on brain endothelial cell surface after radiation treatment, with the aim of targeting the radiation-induced PECAM-1 on the AVM endothelium with pro-thrombotic agents to selectively occlude AVM vessels.
Mouse cerebral endothelial cells (bEnd.3) were irradiated with 5, 15, or 25 Gy. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to quantify the temporal gene and surface PECAM-1 protein expression up to 168 hours post-irradiation. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests were used to determine statistical significance.
PECAM-1 gene expression was found to be significantly elevated post-irradiation in real-time quantitative PCR, with the maximum level of gene expression being evident at 120 hours post-irradiation representing an 11-fold increase in comparison to non-irradiated controls (p Ionising radiation can induce the up-regulation of PECAM-1 on brain endothelial cell surface. This protein may be a potential candidate for facilitating selective AVM vessel occlusion through the application of radiosurgery followed by vascular targeting.

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is mainstay of treatment in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma (LACC). Three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) are mainly used in EBRT. However which one is superior is still controversial.
Forty patients of LACC treated with IMRT were selected for this study. 3DCRT plans were also created for all the patients. 3DCRT and IMRT plans were compared on the basis of planning target volume (PTV) coverage, dose to normal organs, homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI95%).
In both the techniques 99% of PTV was covered with more than 96% of prescribed dose (PD). D15, D35 and D50 (Dose to 15%, 35% and 50% volume respectively) for bladder was reduced by 2.09%, 14.623% and 32.57% and for the rectum it was reduced by 7.46% ,23.82% and 43.68% in IMRT compared to 3DCRT. V45 (volume receiving 45 Gy) in case of bowel were found to be much less in IMRT in comparison to 3DCRT. Insignificant difference found between doses to femoral heads in IMRT and 3DCRT. The CI95% in IMRT plans was found much better than that in 3DCRT whereas HI in both the techniques were found almost same.
IMRT significantly reduced the irradiated volume of OAR and improved dose conformity in the PTV compared to that by 3DCRT. So, it can be concluded that IMRT should be chosen as preferred technique for the EBRT of LACC with proper immobilizing devices and imaging.

Aims: It was aimed to investigate postoperative conformal radiotherapy planning that provides the best target volume and the least dose for critical organs in cancers of stomach.
This study was conducted on the CT simulation images of thirty patients diagnosed with gastric cancer. Target volumes and the organs at risk were contoured. AP-PA reciprocal parallel field conventional plan and three- and four-field 3D conformal plans were created using linear accelerator. Target volumes and doses consumed by organs at risk were compared by dose-volume histograms.
While a sufficient dose could be applied to target volumes in all plans with conformal planning, average figures showed that 95% of porta hepatis area failed to take the prescribed dose (D95) in some plans by using AP-PA reciprocal parallel zone conventional plans. The most convenient protection for spinal cord, heart and kidneys was obtained by conformal four-field technique and the liver doses were increased in conformal four-field plans but did not exceed the tolerance dose. And also, in the conventional AP-PA reciprocal parallel field plans, tolerance dose of spinal cord (4500 cGy) was exceeded.
In this study, conformal four-field technique was superior considering target volume dose distributions, and especially spinal cord doses in all localizations and heart doses in cardia tumors. Kidney doses were also reduced in conformal four-field planning, but failed to reach statistical significance. There was a not exceeding tolerance limits dose increase in liver

Diarrhea is a well-recognized side effect associated with pelvic radiation; however, there is not any effective common treatment for radiation-induced diarrhea. A popular alternative is probiotics, which have been used in several gastrointestinal disorders. Probiotics are live microbial food supplements. Furthermore, honey is a putative nutritional with a variety of health effects, including antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and prebiotic. The present study evaluated the effects of probiotic with or without honey on radiation-induced diarrhea.
Sixty-seven adult patients with pelvic cancer underwent radiotherapy for four weeks. They randomized to receive probiotic (n = 22), probiotic plus honey (n = 21) or placebo (n = 24) from one week before radiotherapy for five weeks. Diarrhea grade and stool consistency score were recorded weekly according to the Common Toxicity Criteria system and the Bristol scales, respectively.
The results showed a decrease in the daily number of bowel movements (p = 0.003 and 0.006), diarrhea grade (p = 0.001 and 0.001) and the need for antidiarrheal medication (p = 0.021 and 0.041) also an increase in the stool consistency (p = 0.004 and 0.005) in patients who either used probiotic or probiotic plus honey (respectively), these were significant in weeks 4 and 5 of treatment.
Probiotics with or without honey can reduce the incidence of radiation-induced diarrhea and the need for antidiarrheal medication

Colorectal carcinoma is the third most common cause of death in Iran. This study was performed in order to determine the appropriate distal clearance margin (DCM) for resection of rectal cancer in patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for sphincter preserving procedure.
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Shahid Faghihi Hospital of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from 2006 to 2011. We included all patients with low rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The medical charts of patientsand disease characteristics were recorded. The local recurrence, recurrence-free survival and mortality rates were compared between those with DCM ≥2cm and DCM Overall, 82 patients with a mean age of 56.7 ± 16.4 years were included. The DCM was found to be ≥2cm in 45 (54.9%) patients and Although some studies have showed that DCM

Although numerous natural or synthetic drugs have been tested for their radioprotective capacity, yet no suitable drug has been introduced for routine clinical use. In this study the radioprotective effect of "a new herbal immunomodulator" commercially known as IMOD, specifically made to decrease the side effects of HIV virus, was investigated on mouse bone marrow cells.
Female NMRI mice (in a group of five) were exposed to 2 Gy gamma radiation following three days of intravenously injection (IV) of IMOD at various doses. Mice were sacrificed 48 and 72 h after irradiation. Bone marrow was flushed and slides for bone marrow smears were prepared according to standard method. After staining slides in May Grunwald and Giemsa, polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) and normochromatic erythrocytes (NCE) were scored for presence of micronucleus (MN).
The results showed that gamma irradiation increased the frequency of micronuclei dramatically and excreted cytotoxic effect of cell proliferation. Injection of various doses of IMOD before irradiation however, led to a considerable reduction in the frequency of micronuclei in bone marrow erythrocytes as well as cellular toxicity.
Results indicated radioprotective capability of IMOD with a dose reduction factor (DRF) of about 2.3 at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. The considerably high DRF might be indicative that IMOD besides being an immunomodulator might also posses’ antioxidant property.

The aim of the study was to analyze the effective dose record of occupationally exposed radiation workers at Bahawalpur Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology department.
Annual effective doses of occupationally exposed workers were measured by film badge dosimetry by sending the dosimeters to Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory (RDL), Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH), Islamabad, Pakistan. 46 Radiation workers dose records were studied for a period of 14-years (2000-13). Professionally exposed radiation workers were divided into groups depending upon their professions.
Average effective doses of oncologists, nuclear physicians, medical physicists, radiation technologists, nurses and other supporting staff were in the range of 0.64-1.86, 0.61-2.27, 0.63-1.74, 0.67-2.53, 0.65-2.31 and 0.68-1.79 mSv respectively. The highest annual dose received by radiation technologist was 4.95 mSv. Nobody received the radiation dose greater than 5 mSv in any year and no overexposure case has been noticed throughout the study period.
The results revealed that occupationally exposed individuals received doses lower than the recommended annual limits of 20 mSv y-1. This study provides basis to set up action level that is obligatory by Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Pakistan

Turkey, especially the northern part of it, was one of the countries which were contaminated by the Chernobyl accident. Rize is a city located in the Northeastern district of Turkey which was heavily influenced by the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
In this study, the activity concentrations of natural (226Ra, 232Th, 40K) and artificial (137Cs) were measurements in soil samples collected from 132 different points in Rize province of Turkey using gamma spectrometry with a high-purity germanium detector.
The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found to be 85.75±11.77, 51.08±9.42, and 771.57±37.65 Bq/kg in soil samples, respectively. In order to evaluate the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, radium equivalent activity (Raeq), representative level index (Iγr), the external hazard index (Hex), the total absorbed dose rate (D), the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) and excess life time cancer risk (ELCR) have been calculated and compared with the internationally approved values.
The outdoor air absorbed dose rates (D) due to terrestrial gamma rays for soil have been calculated because of agricultural area and living in the surrounding. It is important to determine background radiation level in order to evaluate the health hazards. Annual effective gamma doses and the lifetime risks of cancer were higher than the world’s average. Moreover compared to the World’s average, the lifetime risk of cancer doubled for most of the localities.

It is considered that if radon gas is inhaled and ingested, it is the primary health risks for lung and stomach cancers. This paper presents the measurement results of radon activity concentrations both residential tap water and dam water for Kastamonu city Centre-Turkey.
The radon activity concentrations of water samples collected from 60 tap waters at four locations and 12 dam water of study area were determined. Radon concentrations were measured using the professional radon monitor AlphaGUARD PQ2000 PRO (Genitron Instruments).
The mean value for all residential tap water samples and dam water samples were ascertained as 0.050 Bq l-1 and 0.741 Bq l-1, respectively. The annual effective doses were calculated for the inhalation of radon released to air when water is used and the ingestion of drinking water. The mean values for inhalation and ingestion were found to be 0.1266 μSv y-1 and 0.0105 μSv y-1, respectively. For the radon exposure from ingestion, the annual effective doses were calculated for infants, children, and adults, separately.
When the results compared with the internationally recommended safe limits, the tap waters of Kastamonu city Centre is safe for drinking purposes in terms of radon activity concentrations.

Computed Tomography (CT) is main contributor of population dose from diagnostic X-ray examinations. Children are more radiosensitive than adults, thus optimization of CT examination in these patients is essential. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dose delivered to pediatric patients’ undergoing CT examination of the common examinations and also establishing local Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs).
Questionnaires were designed for data collection at seven public hospitals and information about patient, protocol and CT system were recorded during 2013 and 2014. Dose measurement was performed in four age groups: 0-1, 1-5, 5-10 and 10-15 years old and two CT dose quantity including CTDIw and DLP were calculated.
Values of 40, 48, 59.5, 59.5 mGy; 16.9, 16.9, 17.14, 17.14 mGy; 17, 17, 17, 17 mGy; 17, 17, 19.2, 19.2 mGy in terms of CTDIw and 448, 538, 758, 758 mGy cm; 129, 129, 154, 167 mGy cm; 184, 225, 306, 315 mGy cm; 289, 408, 595, 670 mGy cm in terms of DLP as regional DRL for brain, sinus, chest, abdomen and pelvic examinations were obtained respectively.
The variations in dose of some examination were considerable. As the role and usage of CT technology continues to expand, it is important that all practitioners adapt optimized protocols, especially for pediatrics scanning, following proposed reference levels.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate nodal irradiation with conventional three-field's technique.
Fifty patients with breast cancer were enrolled in this study. Computed tomography scans in the supine treatment position were imported into a treatment planning system. Levels I-III axillary and supraclavicular nodes were identified and their depths to the anterior skin surface were measured. Two tangential fields and one anterior- posterior supraclavicular field were developed to treat all of the patients. Dose –volum histogram was evaluated for quality measurement.
The mean depths of the level I, II and III axillary and supraclavicular nodes varied widely (4.6, 5.7, 6.1 and 5.9 cm, respectively). Complete coverage of level II was not achieved by tangential fields. In some patients the optimal dose was not prescribed. The median dose administered to level I, II and III was 42.6 Gy (10 to 53 Gy), 41.9 Gy (8.3 to 54 Gy) and 41.3 Gy (5 to 52 Gy), respectively. The median dose to supraclavicular nodes was 46.9 Gy (from 38 to 51 Gy).The mean regional nodal volumes included in the 95% isodose were 47, 48, 45.7, and 65.1 percent for level I-III and supraclavicular, respectively.
As the depth of regional nodes varies widely, thus using a fixed calculation depth for dose prescription is not optimal. Careful depth measurement for each patient is necessary. Moreover, the use of conventional three- field technique is not optimal for all patients. At least in some patients, adding posterior axillary boost field is necessary, to optimize axillary coverage.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) dyed with methyl red as a high dose radiation dosimetry.
Commercial PVC films from Sabic made from resins PVC57S with thickness of 60 µm and methyl red with a molecular weight of 269.31 were used. Irradiation was carried out using a 60Co γ-ray generator with sources arranged in rectangular holder with a total activity of 73.6926 kCi. Absorbance measurements were made by Jasco V- 630 UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Dose rate and irradiation temperature effects as well as post-irradiation storage in dark and indirect daylight conditions on dosimetry performance were also investigated.
The results showed a linear relationship between the relative absorbance (response) and the absorbed dose at the wavelength 548 nm in the range of 0-150 kGy. The response was found to be independent of both dose rate and irradiation temperature.
The experimental results indicate that PVC films dyed with methyl red may be used for a high dose radiation dosimetry.