Quantification of the Ionising Radiation Effect Over Angiogenesis in the Chick Embryo and Its Chorioallantoic Membrane by Computerised Analysis of Angiographic Images

• Published in: Acta radiologica (1987) 2001-05, Vol.42 (3), p.333-338
• Main Authors: Karnabatidis, D., Dimopoulos, J.C.A., Siablis, D., Papazafiropoulos, D., Kalogeropoulou, C.P., Nikiforidis, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allantois - blood supply; Angiography, Digital Subtraction; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chick Embryo; Chorion - blood supply; Endothelium, Vascular - radiation effects; General aspects; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Neovascularization, Physiologic - radiation effects; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Time Factors
• ISSN: 0284-1851; 1600-0455
• DOI: 10.1080/028418501127346747

AbstractPurpose: We evaluated, in vivo, the effect of ionising radiation on the angiogenesis process in the chick embryo and its chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in conjunction with computer-assisted image analysis. Information regarding the ionising effect on endothelial cells during radiation treatment was extracted.Material and Methods: Two series of fertilized eggs were irradiated with a single ionising radiation dose of 10 Gy on days 9 and 13 of embryonic development. Angiography was carried out 24 h after irradiation. The angiographic images were digitized and subsequently processed. A set of specific morphological parameters was defined to allow an analytical characterization of the vascularity status. Vessels were classified into three categories according to their diameters (≥200 m, 100-200 m and 50-100 m). The data were normalized and statistically evaluated.Results: On day 10, total vascular area and total vascular length presented a 15.6±1.2% and 18.4±2.4% reduction, respectively, while vascular diameters increased 3.3±0.5%. The vessel area and length of the first category (≥200 m) increased 9.8±1.1% and 8.1±0.9%, respectively, while these morphometric parameters for each of the remaining two categories decreased 44.3±2.9%, 38.7±4.2% and 45±3.8%, 30.7±3.4%, respectively. On day 14 insignificant changes were observed.Conclusion: Computerised analysis of angiographic images showed that the antiangiogenic effect of irradiation during the various phases of CAM development is larger on the 10th day than that observed on day 14 and it depends on the vessel size.