The in vitro effects of high energy shock waves(HESW)on human bladder transitional cell carci-noma(Tcc)and gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (SGC-7901) were investigated.After exposure of the cellsuspensions of the two tumor cells to HESW

their cell ultrastructures were oberved. The resultsdemonstrated that mitochondria were swollen and contained distorted cristae : the rough endoplasmicreticula were dilated and degranulated and disaggregated. In order to indentify the degrees of cell-damaging

the mitochondria volume density (Vv)

damaged mitochondria numerical density on area(Na)and mitochondria damage rate (Mr)were detected by quantitative stereologic analysis

We found thatVv

Na and Mr were higher than that of the control group and Mr of TCC was higher than that ofSGC-7901. These findings indicate that HESW can kill human tumor cells by damaging the tumor cellorganella and tumor cells are injured more seriously with increasing KV of HESW.