Remission of the newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes by radiation of the pancreas.

: The process of autoaggression of the IDDM causes an "insulitis" leading to the destruction of the beta-cells. By photons (9 MV) in a total dose of 10 Gy, divided into 5 single doses at an interval of 2 days in each case we could get a total remission in 3 out of 4 diabetics, a partly remission in the fourth patient. The therapeutic effect lasts till now (1-6 months) without any further treatment. The combination of a radiation of 5 x 1 Gy with 1 mg methylprednisolon/kg body weight at the beginning of the treatment leads to a partly remission in 5 out of 7 patients lasting 3-7 months hitherto. Beside the antiinflammatory effect of the radiation on the "insulitis" an effect on the activated lymphocytes can be supposed. Side effects were not observed. They need not to be expected in a local therapy in a relatively small field size with a low radiation dose. Further research is necessary to confirm the results.