title: The development of a technique to measure bone aluminium content using neutron activation analysis.
abstract: The accumulation and toxicity of aluminium in patients with chronic renal failure is a well recognized hazard, and there is a need for a non-invasive technique to assess Al tissue load in these patients. The technique of in vivo neutron activation analysis, using a thermal neutron beam from a reactor, has been employed by previous workers, who measured Al in the hand with a detection limit of 0.4 mg for a dose equivalent of 20 mSv. However, the application of this technique is restricted by the very limited availability of nuclear reactors. We report the modification of an existing 252Cf-based instrument and construction of a shielded, high-efficiency counting system for the in vivo measurement of Al in the hand. Phantoms containing tissue-equivalent solutions of Ca, P, Na and Cl with various Al loadings were used for validation of the technique. The Al/Ca ratio in the hands of seven patients with renal failure was measured using a cyclic activation technique to compensate for the relatively low neutron output of the 252Cf source, and a detection limit of approximately 2.2 mg Al was achieved for a dose equivalent of 36 mSv. The results were compared with the Al content of iliac crest bone biopsy specimens measured using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, Singleton Hospital, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ryde
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: McNeil
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Hainsworth
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum