[Findings in piglets after combined application of hyperthermia and irradiation]

In a pilot study, 8 shoats of the "Edelschwein" breed were submitted to a combined treatment with hyperthermia (5 X 60 min; 42 degrees C in the thoracic region) followed by irradiation of the right lung (5 X 4 Gy). Heating was performed using an applicator of the Selectotherm equipment working at 27 MHz with a power output of 1.5 to 8.0 kW; the irradiation was done with the telecobalt machine Chisobalt. Radiologic checks of the thoracic organs and laboratory diagnostics provided useful data as to the temporal course of the radiogenic pulmonary affections and the tolerability of fractionated whole-body hyperthermia including superimposed local heating on shoats. Histologic examinations of sections of heated and irradiated (right) as compared to exclusively heated (left) lung lobes of 4 animals suggested that hyperthermia exerted a radiosensitizing effect on the right lungs. Histologically confirmed irreversible lung fibrosis occurred there after exposure to even lower total doses following hyperthermia as compared to sole irradiation.