title: About radioactivity in some PMMA bone cements.
abstract: Various bone cements containing zirconium oxide (ZrO2) as X-ray contrast medium were tested for radioactivity by means of a gamma spectrometer. All measured bone cements (PALACOS, IMPLAST, SULFIX-6) showed a certain degree of radioactivity. The radiation source in the bone cement is the added zirconium oxide, which is polluted by radioactive elements. As these X-ray contrast media remain in the body for decades as components of the bone cement, the radioactive zirconium oxides should be substituted by high purity radiation-free zirconium oxide or barium sulfate.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Department, University of the Saarland, Homburg, West Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hopf
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Hopf
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Glöbel
mesh_terms: D001843:Bone Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008768:Methylmethacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D011851:Radioactivity; D015040:Zirconium / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide