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USTUR 0846: U.S. Radium Corp. — 1964-7 Chronic Inhalation — 241AmO2 — Chelated — Ca-DTPA
Intake
In 1967, this gentleman, a technician, had been taken to the University of Pittsburgh whole-body counter upon the recommendation of an Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) inspector, who had noted in company bioassay records that “low-level alpha activity” had been indicated in urinalyses. He was a glovebox operator who had prepared an estimated 50 pressed gold foils, each containing 200 mg of americium oxide powder – over a 2- to 3-y period – in a process that involved ‘open’ transfer of unsealed materials between glove boxes with only rudimentary respiratory protection.
Health Physics
The initial estimate of the 241AmO2 body burden was about 1 µCi (37 kBq). The employer then sent the patient to Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Radiological Physics Division for assessment of the absolute quantity of americium in his body. The ANL measurements indicated a total body burden of 1.8 µCi (67 kBq), i.e., 36 times the then-recommended maximum permissible body burden (MPBB) of 50 nCi for americium. Such a deposition was projected to possibly deliver tens of thousands of rem to bone surfaces during the remaining lifetime of the patient; and was the highest body content of a radionuclide of the plutonium-americium radiotoxicity family known at that time to have been deposited in a person in the United States (Brodsky and Wald, 2004). Chelation therapy with intravenous Ca-DTPA was conducted for seven years after his intake. The patient was followed up extensively by both the ANL and University of Pittsburgh investigators, during and after therapy.
Extracts from Brodsky and Horm's Removal of 241Am from Humans with DTPA: Progress Report »
Autopsy and Pathology
The Registries’ 34th whole-body donor passed away at age 72 (from adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with local invasion, confirmed at autopsy). The primary medical and health physics records in this case had remained in the custody of the University of Pittsburgh. On being notified by the gentleman’s spouse at the time of his death, USTUR sought the collaboration of Drs. Neil Wald, Allen Brodsky and Jerry Rosen (original University of Pittsburgh investigators) and Dr. Dick Toohey (currently of ORAU) to obtain original case records and their special insights and experiences. All willingly volunteered their help.
On the day of receipt of this whole-body donation, a full set of external 241Am γ-emission measurements were made at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) In-vivo Radioassay Research Facility (IVRRF) including chest counts (with ultrasonic CWT measurements), liver counts, and skeletal extremity counts over the forehead, top of the head, wrists, knees and ankles. Figure 1 shows the 241Am spectrum obtained from a 60-minute count over the chest. Similar spectra (including quantitative determination of the 14-, 17.5-, and 26-keV 241Am photons) were obtained for all other counting positions.
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| Figure 1. Summed 241Am photon energy spectrum (60-minute count) from four thin planar germanium detectors placed over the chest of USTUR Case 0846. |
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| Figure 2. Two thin planar germanium detectors positioned to count 241Am activity in the liver of Case 0846 (post-mortem). |
The autopsy was carried out on the following day. In this special case, each of the five separate lobes of the lungs was dissected (by the medical examiner) into its individual segments. All visible tracheobronchial lymph nodes were dissected from each segment. All lung tissue samples and lymph nodes were weighed and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, for future histopathology and autoradiographic study. The larynx, trachea and both left and right bronchial trees (down to about the third airway generation) were also dissected out, and fixed, for autoradiographic study of 241Am retention in the airway epithelium and walls. Samples of all other major soft tissues were also fixed for histological study. The 241Am activity in all tissue samples, individual bones, and whole organs, will be counted externally, with quality assurance measurements by α-spectrometric radiochemistry (and SF-ICPMS). Evidence of pancreatic cancer (apparently non-metastasized) was found at the autopsy. Except for the heart, all other soft tissue organs (including the lungs and liver) appeared healthy by visual inspection.
This whole-body donation will provide USTUR and our national and international collaborators with a unique opportunity to determine the full-lifetime biokinetics of 241AmO2 inhaled in a form that could potentially be used malevolently by a ‘radiological’ terrorist – including the effects of chelation treatment, and the lifetime health outcome of chronic, high α-dose on the major body organs.
References
Brodsky A and Wald N. Experiences with Early Emergency Response and Rules of Thumb. Chapter 20 in Public Protection from Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Terrorism. Proceedings of the Health Physics Society 2004 Summer School. Madison, WI: Medical Physics Publishing; Pp.335-371; 2004.
To use USTUR narrative data, please cite:
USTUR 0846: U.S. Radium Corp. — 1964-7 Chronic Inhalation — 241AmO2 — Chelated — Ca-DTPA: Narrative. United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries. 14 May 2009. Washington State University: College of Pharmacy. Accessed 23 November 2009. Available at: http://www.ustur.wsu.edu/Case_Studies/Narratives/0846_Narrative.php.
This page was last updated on May 14, 2009. usturwebmaster@tricity.wsu.edu