Nonradioactive Chromium Technique for Red Cell Labeling

Abstract
Following transfusion, red cells labeled with nonradioactive chromium (52Cr) can be detected in the circulation using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Both in rhesus monkeys and in human subjects, the survival of red cells labeled with 52Cr was found to be insignificantly different from that of cells labeled with 51Cr. Nonradioactive chromium can be used to label a second population of red cells, when 51Cr is used for the first population, or can be used on its own when the use of radioactivity is contraindicated.