The effects of diagnostic ultrasonography on the frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster cells and human lymphocytes.

Human lymphocytes as well as Chinese hamster ovary cells were sonicated with either a fetal pulse detector (Siemens, Eucotone) or a compound scanner (Kretz, Combison 4100) at diagnostic energy levels. In one experimental series the cells were treated in the G1-phase of the cell cycle, in the other during late S-phase. The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges was determined in the metaphase chromosomes of the following mitosis. No significant increase in the frequency of SCEs per cell was observed as compared with the controls.