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In-vivo counting of /sup 241/Am in human lungs and tracheobronchial lymph nodes

Journal Article · · Health Phys.; (United States)
A study was conducted of a human male who had inhaled a mixture of /sup 241/Am and Pu. To distinguish /sup 241/Am deposited in the subject's lungs from translocated activity deposited in the tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN), two intrinsic Ge detectors were collimated with 0.3-cm Pb sheeting. A tissue-equivalent phantom containing either 22.9 kBq (620 nCi) of /sup 241/Am in the lungs or a 81.4 kBq (2200 nCi) /sup 241/Am point source in the TBLN was measured. Calibration curves observed from lateral differential scans on the phantom were compared to data obtained by the same detection system for a human male with a measured lung deposition of 89 Bq (2.4 nCi) of /sup 241/Am. Comparison of the human data to the calibration curves indicated the activity was restricted primarily to the lungs. The calibration curves demonstrate that this method is useful in determining the distribution of inhaled radioactivity between the lungs and TBLN. The measured activity from the male subject generally supported the ICRP Publication 30 model translocation prediction for class Y compounds.
Research Organization:
Oregon State Univ., Corvallis
OSTI ID:
5395255
Journal Information:
Health Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Health Phys.; (United States) Vol. 54:1; ISSN HLTPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English