Radiologic and Histologic Investigation of Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity in Newborn Guinea Pigs

Abstract

The hypothesis that pulmonary oxygen toxicity is radiographically demonsmble was tested by serially ndiognphing 23 newborn guinea pigs maintained in a % to 100% ox).gen environment at normal atmospheric pressure. All animals died in the inaeasedoxygen environment by sir and one-half days. Nineteen showed characteristic radiologic progreuion of disease to death. Graded histologic changes in the lungs, particularly at the bronchiolar level, correlated strongly with the duntion of % to 100% oxygen exposure (correlation coefficient. 0.90, P < 0.001). 1)untion of life in 96 to 100% oxygen was directly related to birth weight, but not to sex. Seventeen control newborn guinn pigs maintained in-roum air showed no ndiologic evidence of diiase and minimal histologic changes.