NEUTRON-ACTIVATION MEASUREMENT OF METABOLIC-ACTIVITY OF SODIUM IN HUMAN HAND

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 17  (8) , 724-729
Abstract
Na turnover in the human hand was studied by neutron activation. One hand of each subject was irradiated with a 1.5-rad dose of partially thermalized fast neutrons. The activity of 24Na was measured at intervals from 3 min-48 h after irradiation. Na loss from the hand during this period can be described by 2 exponentials or by a single power function. The latter description involves only 2 disposable factors compared with 4 in the former. The Na loss rate was found, on the average, to be greater in patients suffering from bone disease than in normal subjects. Neutron activation is a powerful method for studying Na turnover because the Na atoms are labeled simultaneously and with equal probability, regardless of the turnover time of individual bodily compartments.

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