Earlier pathological character and mechanisms of irradiation necrosis on femoral head / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the earlier pathological character and mechanism of radiation osteonecrosis in femoral head, in order to provide evidences for the earlier diagnosis and prevention of radiation osteonecrosis of femoral head. Methods Single femoral head of rats were irradiated singly with 30 Gy of 137 Cs γ-ray. The rats were executed after 2, 6 and 12 weeks, then the femurs were stained with HE and histopatholngical changes were observed by light microscope. The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were cultured after 2 weeks and its proliferation and the colony formation were observed. The rats were endo-perfused with microfili contrast medium 12 weeks later, and the 3-dimensional structure of capillaries by Micro-CT was re-estabhshed to detect the pathological changes of capillaries after irradiation. Result The irradiated femur showed deranged cbondrocyte, decreased osteocyte, shrinking nucleus, increased empty bone lacuna and reduced bone trabocnla (P < 0.05). Micro-CT showed the discontinued small vessels and absence(6.65 %) capillaries in irradiated femur were obviously less than those of the unirradiated (12.3 %)(P < 0.001). The proliferation of BMSCs was slowed, the number of colony in irradiated group (10 %) was less than that of control (21 %) (P < 0.001). Conclusions The preliminary histopathological changes of osteoradionecrosis on femoral head could be increased the empty bone lacuna, and the bone lacuna above 30 % was the sign of the earlier period of osteoradionecrosis. The osteonecrosis of femoral head induced by radiation is not only correlated to the damages to the bone, but also to the damages to BMSCs and capillaries.