A Study of Absorption of Vitamin B12Using a Whole-Body Spectrometer

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Abstract
Several workers have used the whole-body spectrometer to study different aspects of vitamin B12 absorption from an oral dose of radioactive B12 (Reizenstein, Cronkite and Cohn, 1961; Lushbaugh and Hale, 1961; Bozian, Ferguson, Heyssel, Meneerly and Darby, 1963; Belcher, Anderson and Robinson, 1963). The aim of the present study is to compare the results obtained from our whole-body spectrometer with those obtained by the well proven Schilling test. Whole-body counts were performed on unselected patients referred for Schilling tests to confirm or exclude possible malabsorption of Vitamin B12. Our schedule was devised to fit the established haematological routine. One microgram of vitamin B12 labelled with 1 μCi of 58Co was administered orally to the patient and a whole-body count performed after two to three hours. At this time an injection of 1 mg of vitamin B12 was given and the patient requested to collect all urine excreted during the subsequent 24 hours. This urine was then assayed for radioactive content. After a period of five to seven days another whole-body count was made in order to obtain a measure of the radioactive vitamin B12 retained by the patient. Subsequently, whole-body radioactive measurements were made periodically on patients for as long as they were willing to attend; by this means we were able to make some estimation of long-term retention and compare our results with those of other workers (Reizenstein, 1959; Cohn, Lippincott, Cronkite and Reizenstein, 1962).

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