Adaptation of the Egs4 Monte Carlo Fode for the Design of a Polarized Source for X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of Platinum and Other Heavy Metals In Vivo

Abstract

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) has become a well established technique for the measurement of trace levels of toxic heavy metals in vivo, including cadmium, platinum, mercury and lead (Mattsson et al.. 1987). The clinical motivation for the measurement of platinum (Pt) is the need to investigate the kinetics of Pt-based cancer chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and paraplatin. Currently the main research interest in Swansea lies in the study of the uptake and distribution of Pt administered during chemotherapy of patients with tumours in the head and neck region.