APPLICATIONS OF LOW LEVEL COUNTING TO STUDIES OF CALCIUM AND STRONTIUM METABOLISM IN HUMAN SUBJECTS

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Brit. J. Radiol.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1259/0007-1285-36-430-732· OSTI ID:4619439

Taylor, D M; Trott, N G; Rinsler, MG; Vennart, J

Low level whole-body and sample-counting systems were used in simultaneous studies of the turnover of Ca/sup 47/ and Sr/sup 85/ in 10 patients undergoing radiotherapy for cancer at various sites not involving bone. The whole-body counter used in the double tracer studies consisted of four 11-cm dia x 5-cm thick NaI(Tl) crystals set up in a Pb-lined room excavated in chalk, which has a low natural radioactive content; ancillary studies were made in a demountable clinical low background room shielded by 15 tons of chalk contained in about 700 polythene-lined three-ply paper bags. Excreta samples were measured on a low background 7.5 -cm dia x 7.5-cm thick NaI(Tl) crystal, and 100-channel pulse height analyzers were used to record spectral data. Activities administered ranged from 0.3 to 2.4 mu C, the most convenient combination being 0.3 to 0.5 mu C of each nuclide. Whole-body measurements, and the collection of excreta were carried out for about 10 days with each patient. Methods of analyzing the data are described and estimates of percentage retention R, at various times t, based on body counting and excreta measurements, are compared. Limitations imposed by naturally occurring radioactivity and by contamination are discussed. Retention data from this small, highly selected group, are presented as the power function R/sub t/ = A/sup -n/ values of n, based on body counting, ranged from 0.08 plus or minus 0.033to 0.39 plus or minus 0.047 for Ca/sup 4/ and 0.20 plus or minus 0.026 to 0.66 plus or minus 0.052 for Sr/sup 85/, the higher values being found for patients having carcinoma of the breast. Values derived from excreta assay, while in general somewhat lower, showed the same trend. (auth)

• Research Organization: Royal Cancer Hospital, London; royal Marsden Hospital, London
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-040502
• OSTI ID: 4619439
• Journal Information: Brit. J. Radiol., Journal Name: Brit. J. Radiol. Vol. Vol: 36
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BODY
BONES
CALCIUM 47
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CANCER
CHALK
CONTAMINATION
COUNTERS
CRYSTALS
EQUATIONS
FECES
GLANDS
INSTRUMENTS
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LEAD
MAMMARY GLANDS
MAN
MEASURED VALUES
MEDICINE
METABOLISM
NUMERICALS
POLYETHYLENES
PULSE ANALYZERS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOTHERAPY
RECORDING SYSTEMS
SAMPLING
SHIELDING
SODIUM IODIDES
SPECTRA
STATISTICS
STRONTIUM 85
THICKNESS
TISSUES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
URINE