Central nervous system radiation syndrome in mice from preferential super(10)B(n, alpha ) super(7)Li irradiation of brain vasculature

Ionizing radiations were directed at the heads of anesthetized mice in doses that evoked the acute central nervous system (CNS) radiation syndrome. Comparison of the LD sub(50) dose for CNS radiation lethality from the reactor experiments with the LD sub(50) dose from the x-ray experiments gives results compatible with morphologic evidence that endothelial cell damage is a major determinant of acute lethality from the CNS radiation syndrome. It was also observed that boric acid is a low linear energy transfer radiation-enhancement agent in vivo.