Infrared Thermometry for Acute Radiation Syndrome in Mice

Experiment on female ICR CD-1 mice showed that non-contact infrared thermometry can be used for short-term and medium-term prognosis of animal death during the development of acute radiation syndrome. In mice irradiated with X-rays in a dose of 7.25 Gy (LD_100/30), the body temperature 1 and 5 days before death was below the normal limit (<36.4°C) in 90 and 50% cases, respectively. The decrease in body temperature closely correlated with a decrease in the mean body weight in irradiated animals (from 24 to 19 g).