Abstract
PURPOSE: Application of energy-spectrum computed tomography (CT) to assess specific efficacy of and response to carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) of C6 gliomas in rats. METHODS: After establishing C6 glioma rat models, 3 tumor-bearing rats were randomly selected as controls. The remaining were divided into 0 Gy, 1 Gy, and 2 Gy groups for CIRT. Energy-spectrum CT scans were performed, and brain tissues were collected for histopathology and western blot Test. Survival rates in each group were compared. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that tumors in the 1 Gy and 2 Gy groups decreased at different rates up to 14 days post-CIRT (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to pre-CIRT measurements, the energy-spectrum parameters gradually increased in the 0 Gy group, while they decreased in the 2 Gy group. Post-CIRT, the Ki-67 proliferation index and the expression levels of vascu-larassociated proteins in tumor tissues were significantly reduced in the 1 and 2 Gy groups. Additionally, the survival times of tumor-bearing rats were prolonged after CIRT. CONCLUSIONS: CIRT effectively restricts tumor cell growth and proliferation, leading to improved survival rates in rats with C6 gliomas. The use of energy-spectrum CT with immunohistochemistry for quantitative detection can actively support the effectiveness of carbon ion radiotherapy in inhibiting tumor proliferation.