Low-dose total-body-calcium analysis
Report details technique for measuring total body calcium by collecting exhaled 37Ar gas after exposure of patients to 14-MeV neutrons. Summary for theoretical basis of technique is presented.
Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Lewellen, T. K..
Report details technique for measuring total body calcium by collecting exhaled 37Ar gas after exposure of patients to 14-MeV neutrons. Summary for theoretical basis of technique is presented.
A low dose neutron activation technique was developed to measure total body calcium in vivo. The effort had included development of irradiation and processing facilities and conduction of human studies to determine the accuracy and precision of measurement attainable with the systems.
A technique to quantitate total body calcium in humans is developed. Total body neutron irradiation is utilized to produce argon 37. The radio argon, which diffuses into the blood stream and is excreted through the lungs, is recovered from the exhaled breath and counted inside a proportional detector. Emphasis is placed on: (1) measurement of the rate of excretion of radio argon following total body neutron irradiation; (2) the development of the radio argon collection, purification, and counting systems; and (3) development of a patient irradiation facility using a 14 MeV neutron generator. Results and applications are discussed in detail.