AFM and uni-axial testing of pericardium exposed to radiotherapy doses

The pericardium, a double-layered sac that encloses the heart, is made up of collagen and elastin fibres embedded in an amorphous matrix (forming the extracellular matrix). Collagen fibres are aligned in multidirectional orientation layers. This free arrangement of fibres gives the pericardium its viscoelastic properties and the ability to deform in all directions. This is an important mechanical property for the heart to perform its physiological functions, acknowledging the fact that the heart is attached to different ligaments and muscles in all directions. The present study aims to investigate the effect of penetrating photon ionising radiation on bovine pericardium tissue. This links to an interest in seeking to understand possible mechanisms underlying cardiac complications following treatment of the left breast in radiotherapy regimes. Pericardium samples were subjected to doses in the range 0–80 Gy. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been applied in characterising changes in the infrastructural and mechanical properties of the tissues. Preliminary data for doses of 80 Gy shows there was no significant change in the D-spacing period of the banded structure collagen type I but a significant increase is observed in the FWHM of the fibril widths (by between 25% and 27%) over that of unirradiated pericardium tissue.