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Distribution and retention in bone of /sup 226/Ra and comparison with the ICRP 20 model

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6169998

Analyses are presented of the ratios of /sup 226/Ra to calcium in over 650 samples of compact and cancellous bone from 66 female and 26 male subjects who had died from less than one to 60 years after first exposure to radium. The /sup 226/Ra/Ca ratios were normalized to the terminal /sup 226/Ra skeletal content. The /sup 226/Ra/Ca ratios for vertebrae were essentialy identical to those for other cancellous bone for a given subject. Comparisons of the data with predictions of the ICRP model of alkaline earth metabolism show that for female cancellous bone the normalized /sup 226/Ra/Ca ratios tended to be greater than predicted, while those for female cortical bone (femoral and tibial shaft) tended to be less. The data for males were fitted better by the model. A modification of the model to reduce the amount of radium deposited in soft tissue fitted the data better in some respects. A straight line linear least squares fit to the data appeared to fit as well as, or better than, the models. A radiation effect was suggested in that the normalized /sup 226/Ra/Ca ratio for vertebrae relative to the ratio expected increased with skeletal absorbed dose for vertebra. However, no such effect was apparent for compact bone or for the cancellous bone as a whole.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6169998
Report Number(s):
CONF-8110126-10; ON: DE83010639
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English