Rat liver tolerance for partial resection and intraoperative radiation therapy: regeneration is radiation dose dependent

We studied the feasibility of delivering a large single dose of intraoperative radiation as an adjuvant to partial hepatic resection. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) was delivered to the remaining liver of 84 rats after partial hepatectomy to determine the acute and chronic effects of treatment on blood chemistry values, histology, survival, hepatic regeneration, and cellular appearance of the normal liver. Transient elevations in SGOT, SGPT, and alkaline phosphatase were attributed both to hepatectomy and to liver parenchymal damage induced by IORT. Microscopic examination upon necropsy, performed at frequent intervals post-treatment revealed hepatic capsular thickening with some alteration of liver architecture mainly underneath the capsule, with localized inflammation and some areas of necrosis. Survival in all groups was 100% at 45 days. Liver weight increase proved to be dose-dependent and displayed a bisphasic pattern. This study demonstrated that IORT is a feasible adjunct to surgical resection of the liver in the rat model.