The visualisation of fissionable radionuclides in rat lung using neutron induced autoradiography

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Abstract
The technique of neutron induced autoradiography has been used for a number of years to study the distribution of fissionable radionuclides, notably 239Pu, in bone. The technique has, however, been of restricted use, since the neutron irradiation used for producing fission fragment tracks in Lexan (polycarbonate plastic) will not induce an image of any tissue other than mineral bone in that plastic. The development of a new technique in which images of soft tissue sections are produced in Lexan by irradiating with .alpha.-particles is reported. This technique was used, together with neutron induced autoradiography, to visualize the distribution of 235UO2 in sections of rat lung and studies are also in progress on various tissues of mice known to have appreciable body burdens of 239Pu. The high resolution and good contrast already achieved with this technique suggest that it will prove a valuable tool for investigating the distribution of fissionable isotopes, such as 235U and 239Pu, in various soft tissues, but particularly in the lung.

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