Determination of 58Co‐Vitamin B12 Absorption in Pernicious Anemia by Use of Whole‐body Counting: Reproducibility and Control of Gut Transit Time

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Abstract
In 15 patients with pernicious anemia, the fractional retention of 58Co‐cyanocobalamin (FRB12) without administration of intrinsic factor (IF) averaged 4.9% (range 0–12.7). With administration of IF, FRB12 averaged 32.7% (range 26.6–42.3) in the patients and 65.6% (range 38.8–84.6) in 16 control subjects. The gut transit time for vitamin B12 was evaluated from the excretion of radiopaque pellets given concomitantly with the 58Co‐vitamin B12. The retention of the pellets was positively correlated to that of the non‐absorbed 58Co‐B12. Control of the gut transit time is recommended at each examination of FRB12 in order to avoid falsely high values due to the retention of non‐absorbed 58Co‐B12. We found a good reproducibility of FRB12 when determined in fasting subjects, and it is therefore unnecessary to give the patients a B12‐free meal prior to the examination. As the FRB12 in all probability is only a little lower than the fractional absorption, the present method is applicable for the determination of B12 absorption.