Bone tumors induced by inhalation of 238PuO2 in dogs.
Plutonium-238, an alpha-emitting radionuclide, is used as a heat source in thermoeleltric power generators such as have been employed on lunar expeditions of communications satellites and in cardiac pacemakers. It has an 86.4 year half-life and emits 5.5 MeV alpha particles. Beagle dogs were given single 10-30 minute exposures to 238PuO2 aerosols to study the long-term translocation of plutonium and biological effects. Dogs with a terminal body burden ranging from 7-260 muCi were euthanized due to respiratory insufficiency related to plutonium-induced pneumonitis during the first 3 years after exposure. Nine of the 11 dogs euthanized during the 4-6 year postexposure period had osteosarcomas. The terminal plutonium body burden in the tumor-bearing dogs ranged from 0.5-2.6 muCi with 30-55% of the plutonium in the skeleton. Experiments are in progress to further define the dose-effect relationship of inhaled 238PuO2 and investigate the mechanisms of plutonium-induced neoplasia.
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004285:Dogs; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011005:Plutonium / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D011005:Plutonium; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase