Late structural changes in mouse coronary arteries after iron-particle irradiation of the orbital region

A single dose of 0.1 or 0.2 Gy iron particles was given to B6CF1 female mice at 4 months of age. Degenerative changes in the coronary arteries due to orbital irradiation were observed 15 months after irradiation. The major changes included smooth muscle degeneration with fibrosis and accumulation of debris and extracellular matrix in the medial layer of the vessels. Quantitative analysis indicates that the average fractional volume of degenerated area is 12% in the unirradiated group. The corresponding percentages are 28% (P < 0.01) and 24% (P < 0.01) after 0.1 and 0.2 Gy irradiation, respectively.