In vivo measurements of 241Am in the human skeleton / In vivo Messungen von 241Am im menschlichen Skelett

Abstract

In this paper, a method is presented which permits the assessment of 241 Am activities in the skull or in the whole skeleton. The method is based on a calibration procedure using a flat calibration source, and does not require the use of human skull phantoms. The method was, however, previously tested using two skull phantoms with a known 241 Am activity. One of the skull phantoms, which was made available by the US Transuranium Registry, was developed on the basis of a real contamination case. The other skull phantom was produced on the basis of a human skull which was artificially contaminated with 241 Am. The calibration method using the flat 241 Am source was then applied to a living individual who had been contaminated about 25 years previously A 241 Am skeleton activity is given for this individual, and compared to the results obtained using the skull phantoms.