Lung dosimetry of thorotrast patients

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Health Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199012000-00002· OSTI ID:6270106

Hofmann, W; Johnson, J R; Freedman, N ^[1]

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1. Duke Univ. Medical Center, Durham, NC (USA)

Deposits of intravascularly injected Thorotrast in the reticulo-endothelial system of Thorotrast patients are a continuous source of {sup 220}Rn. In this study, we modeled the transport of {sup 220}Rn from these deposits through the body into the lungs, exhalation of {sup 220}Rn from the lungs, production of {sup 220}Rn progeny in the lungs and their exhalation, and mucociliary clearance of {sup 220}Rn progeny deposited on airway surfaces. The injection of 1 mL Thorotrast produces annual doses of 0.48 mGy y-1 to the bronchial epithelium and 0.95 mGy y-1 to pulmonary tissue. Based on a mean injected volume of about 25 mL and an average exposure time of 30 y, German Thorotrast patients received a mean bronchial lifetime dose of 357 mGy. Despite these relatively high doses, comparable to exposure in uranium miners, no excess lung cancers could be observed in the epidemiologic follow-up study. This apparent discrepancy between predicted and observed bronchial tumors may have important implications for lung dosimetry and risk assessment of inhaled {sup 222}Rn progeny.

• OSTI ID: 6270106
• Journal Information: Health Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Health Physics; (USA) Vol. 59:6; ISSN 0017-9078; ISSN HLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560161* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ANIMAL TISSUES
BODY
CHALCOGENIDES
CLEARANCE
COLLOIDS
CONTRAST MEDIA
DISPERSIONS
DOSES
EPITHELIUM
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXCRETION
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LUNG CLEARANCE
LUNGS
METABOLISM
NUCLEI
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOCOLLOIDS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RADON 220
RADON ISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RISK ASSESSMENT
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM OXIDES
THOROTRAST
TISSUES
UPTAKE