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PubMed2006

Mechanistic models of bone cancer induction by radium and plutonium in animals compared to humans.

Two-mutation carcinogenesis models of mice and rats injected with (239)Pu and (226)Ra have been derived extending previous modellings of beagle dogs injected with (239)Pu and (226)Ra and radium dial painters. In all cases statistically significant parameters could be derived fitting data from several research groups jointly. This also lead to similarly parametrised models for (239)Pu and (226)Ra for all species. For each data set not more than five free model parameters were needed to fit the data adequately. From the toxicity ratios of the animal models for (239)Pu and (226)Ra, together with the human model for (226)Ra, an approximate model for the exposure of humans to (239)Pu has been derived. Relative risk calculations with this approximate model are in good agreement with epidemiological findings for the plutonium-exposed Mayak workers. This promising result may indicate new possibilities for estimating risks for humans from animal experiments.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Radium and uranium concentrations in Georgia community water systems.

The first cycle of statewide radionuclide concentration measurements of public drinking water supplies was completed in accord with the Federal and Georgia Safe Drinking Water Acts. The recommended pattern of analysis is initial screening for gross alpha-particle activity, followed by measuring 226Ra if the gross alpha-particle activity is above 5 pCi/l. and then measuring 228Ra if the 226Ra concentration is above 3 pCi/l; and uranium analysis if the gross alpha-particle activity exceeds 15 pCi/l. Surface water supplies for more than 100,000 persons are analyzed for 3H and 90Sr and screened for gross beta-particle activity, with additional analytical requirements if the latter is above 50 pCi/l. Specified supplies downstream for nuclear facilities are analyzed for 3H, 90Sr and 131I, and further analyses are required if the gross beta-particle activity is above 15 pCi/l. More thorough screening was applied for 1400 public water supplies in Georgia, of which about 90% use groundwater. Radium concentrations exceeded the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 pCi/l. in 24 groundwater supplies, mostly due to elevated 226Ra. The gross alpha-particle activity minus uranium concentrations exceeded the 15 pCi/l. MCL in 3 additional samples. No MCL was exceeded in surface water. The S.D.s of analytical results estimated from replicate analyses were approximately twice those based on counting statistics, suggesting that screening levels should be lowered to assure detection of 226Ra at MCL values.

Georgia↗
PubMed1983

Some historical highlights and portents for the future of biomedical research on radium and the actinides.

Radiobiological research on the actinide elements has been a continuum since the first cryptic report by Hamilton at Berkeley, California, in February 1944. Yet certain landmarks in the work, certain people and certain organizations were responsible for the equivalent of quantum jumps in our concepts and understanding. This paper will review very briefly a few of these. Among them will be the realization of the biochemical and consequent biological differences between plutonium and radium, the first demonstration of carcinogenicity of the actinides, their behavior in bone, their relative toxicity, carcinogenesis after inhalation, the genesis of the "king-size" experiments to investigate their long-term effects, "hot particles" in lung, highlights of research with the transplutonics, and several others. To the extent possible, the review will consider not only the research findings, but their bearing on standard setting and the general operations in place at the time. Some of the past and current polemics will be touched upon.

Actinoid Series Elements↗
PubMed1983

An age dependent model for radium metabolism in man.

The model developed by a Task Group of Committee 2 of ICRP to describe Alkaline Earth Metabolism in Adult Man (ICRP Publication 20) has been modified so that recycling is handled explicitly, and retention in mineral bone is represented by second compartments rather than by the product of a power function and an exponential. This model has been extended to include all ages from birth to adult man, and has been coupled with modified "ICRP" lung and G.I. tract models so that activity in organs can be calculated as functions of time during or after exposures. These activities, and age dependent "specific effective energy" factors, are then used to calculate age dependent dose rates, and dose commitments. This presentation describes this work, with emphasis on the model parameters and results obtained for radium.

Aging↗
PubMed1984

Geochemical and radiological characterization of soils from former radium processing sites.

Soil samples were collected from former radium processing sites in Denver, CO, and East Orange, NJ. Particle-size separations and radiochemical analyses of selected samples showed that while the greatest contents of both 226Ra and U were generally found in the finest (less than 45 micron) fraction, the pattern was not always of progressive increase in radionuclide content with decreasing particle size. Leaching tests on these samples showed a large portion of the 226Ra and U to be soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid. Radon-emanation coefficients measured for bulk samples of contaminated soil were about 20%. Recovery of residual uranium and vanadium, as an adjunct to any remedial action program, appears unlikely due to economic considerations.

Colorado↗
PubMed1989

Radium-226 content of beverages.

Radium contents of commercially obtained beer, wine, milk and mineral waters were measured. All distributions were log-normal with the following geometrical mean values: beer: 2.1 X 10(-2) Bq L-1; wine: 3.4 X 10(-2) Bq L-1; milk: 3 X 10(-3) Bq L-1; normal mineral water: 4.3 X 10(-2) L-1; medical mineral water: 9.4 X 10(-2) Bq L-1.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Radium-226 dose to a boy from playing on mill tailings.

Two boys born in September 1949 played on uranium mill tailings from about ages 8 to 12. One of these boys was diagnosed as having leukemia at age 15.5. The 226Ra body burden of the survivor was measured at age 38. The whole-body 226Ra content measured by counting in vivo was 0 +/- 17 Bq and independently by Rn breath analysis as 4.3 +/- 2.1 Bq. At the same time, a control subject with no known exposure to 226Ra, matched in age, height, and weight, was also measured. The whole-body content was estimated as 4 +/- 15 Bq and independently by Rn breath analysis as 5.5 +/- 3.7 Bq. The body burden of the control subject was not significantly different from that of the exposed person. The radiation dose to the marrow-free skeleton assuming a constant 226Ra:Ca ratio since birth was 0.49 and 1.33 mGy at ages 14 and 38, respectively. The radiation dose to the marrow-free skeleton assuming 226Ra intake only between ages 8 to 12 was 1.4 and 2.8 mGy at ages 14 and 38, respectively. The best estimate is the mean of these two estimates: 0.9 and 2.1 mGy at ages 14 and 38, respectively. The alpha-particle dose to the red marrow from 226Ra and its decay products was 0.05 mGy at age 14 and 0.10 mGy at age 38. Since no excess was found for the radium dial painters whose doses were much higher, the induction of leukemia by doses of this magnitude would seem quite unlikely.

Body Burden↗
PubMed1993

Radium needle used to calibrate germanium gamma-ray detector.

A standard platinum-iridium needle that contains 374 MBq 226Ra was tested as a source for calibrating a portable germanium detector used with a gamma-ray spectrometer for environmental radioactivity measurements. The counting efficiencies of the 11 most intense gamma rays emitted by 226Ra and its short-lived radioactive progeny at energies between 186 and 2,448 keV were determined, at the full energy peaks, to construct a curve of counting efficiency vs. energy. The curve was compared to another curve between 43 and 1,596 keV obtained with a NIST mixed-radionuclide standard. It was also compared to the results of a Monte Carlo simulation. The 226Ra source results were consistent with the NIST standard between 248 and 1,596 keV. The Monte Carlo simulation gave a curve parallel to the curve for the combined radium and NIST standard data between 250 and 2,000 keV, but at higher efficiency.

Calibration↗
PubMed2000

Why the radium wasn't found.

Although this search for lost radium tubes was conducted some forty years ago, the lessons deduced in this report are still relevant today. The origin of the loss and five stages of the search, which turned out to be unsuccessful, are described in detail. These included monitoring the hospital incinerator, its ash, residential pathways, the municipal rubbish tip, the hospital theatre and its drains, and the hospital environs. Incidentally, the searcher nearly became a victim of quicksand, and a false lead was attributed to the use of uranium coloring agent in the wall tiles of the hospital theatre. The deduced lessons include the necessity for users of sealed radioactive sources to have adequately trained staff; to follow an accredited code of practice; to have ready access to a radiation survey meter; to have a suitable storage safe and a meticulously maintained source register. Some advice is given about the conduct of a search and desirable personal attributes of a proficient searcher.

Female↗
PubMed1975

Analysis of errors in three-dimensional reconstruction of radium implants from stereo radiographs.

The present method of steroe shift for three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of radium implants has been found to produce displacement errors. Analysis shows that the maximum displacement error decreases as the shift (S) increases with fixed focal spot-film distance (H), while conversely for a fixed shift distance the maximum displacement error with increased focal spot-film distance. The authors suggest that sufficiently accurate 3-D reconstruction may be achieved when H greater than or equal to 100 cm and H/S less than 2.

Computers↗
PubMed1977

An improved cervical radium applicator.

Design improvements have retained the advantages of a previously described afterloading radium system, while facilitating insertion by minimizing the space required for passing the apparatus through the introitus. The mechanical integration of the parts of the apparatus results in smoother insertion, reliability of positioning, and less patient discomfort.

Cervix Uteri↗
PubMed1984

Squamous-cell carcinoma of the tongue: preoperative interstitial radium and external irradiation. Part II: Survival.

The authors evaluated 300 cases of squamous-cell carcinoma of the anterior two thirds of the tongue treated from 1958 through 1972. Effects of treatment on absolute and relative survival were determined by the log rank method. Selection was non-random, based on the extent of the primary tumor, age, and general condition. Surgery, irradiation, or a combination of preoperative interstitial high-intensity radium needles and resection gave similar results in patients with tumor smaller than 4 cm (T1T2N0). In patients with larger tumor (T3N0) or mobile, unilateral neck metastases (TXN1), irradiation plus surgery produced better survival than irradiation alone. Different radiation techniques are analyzed. Elective external irradiation to the neck is recommended in all cases, even if no enlarged lymph nodes can be palpated.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

First clinical experience with alpha-emitting radium-223 in the treatment of skeletal metastases.

PURPOSE: The main goals were to study the safety and tolerability of the alpha-emitter radium-223 (223Ra) in breast and prostate cancer patients with skeletal metastases. In addition, pain palliation was evaluated. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Fifteen prostate and 10 breast cancer patients enrolled in a phase I trial received a single i.v. injection of 223Ra. Five patients were included at each of the dosages: 46, 93, 163, 213, or 250 kBq/kg and followed for 8 weeks. Palliative response was evaluated according to the pain scale of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ C30 questionnaire at baseline and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after injection. RESULTS: Weekly blood sampling during follow-up revealed mild and reversible myelosuppression with nadir 2 to 4 weeks after the injection. Importantly, for thrombocytes only grade 1 toxicity was reported. Grade 3 neutropenia and leucopenia occurred in two and three patients, respectively. Mild, transient diarrhea was observed in 10 of the 25 patients. Nausea and vomiting was more frequently observed in the highest dosage group. Serum alkaline phosphatase decreased with nadir averages of 29.5% in females and 52.1% in males. Pain relief was reported by 52%, 60%, and 56% of the patients after 7 days, 4, and 8 weeks, respectively. 223Ra cleared rapidly from blood and was below 1% of initial level at 24 hours. Gamma camera images indicated, in accordance with pretreatment (99m)Tc-MDP scans, accumulation of 223Ra in skeletal lesions. Elimination was mainly intestinal. Median survival exceeded 20 months. CONCLUSIONS: 223Ra was well tolerated at therapeutically relevant dosages. Phase II studies have therefore been initiated.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Cancer of the thyroid following radium application to the neck.

A young patient, suffering from thyroid carcinoma 24 years after radium treatment of the neck, is presented. The cancer appeared in the area which has been irradiated. In the present case, the thyroid was exposed to a relatively low dose of radiation. The importance of ionizing radiation and its carcinogenic effect in the juvenile thyroid are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Navy review of nasopharyngeal radium treatments of submarine candidates.

From approximately 1945 through 1960 nasopharyngeal radium treatments were used to treat barotrauma incurred during submarine escape training by submarine candidates. Concern has been expressed that the treatments placed submarine candidates at significantly increased risk of having brain cancer develop. The concern is based on brain cancer incidence rates reported in a study of Washington County children. Using comparable populations' risk coefficients and secondary brain tumor incidence rates, the excess number of brain cancers per 10,000 subjects during the 42.5 years after treatment was calculated to be 0.5 to 2.8 cases and 1 case, respectively. Personnel records of a sample of those treated and others whose treatment status was unknown were reviewed to determine the feasibility of an epidemiologic study to confirm the cancer risk. The records indicated treatments were not consistently documented to confirm who was treated. In addition, social security numbers are not known to aid in determination of vital status. In conclusion, nasopharyngeal irradiation does not appear to pose a significant risk to submariners, and it is not feasible to use the submariner population to do a meaningful epidemiologic study to clarify the cancer risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Autoradiographic studies of the distribution of radium-226 in rat bone: their implications for human radiation dosimetry and toxicity.

A solution containing 226Ra chloride was injected into young female rats via the saphenous vein. Subsequently, the distribution and retention of the 226Ra in the skeleton was studied. The results show that: 226Ra is initially deposited in the rat femur as a volume deposit and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the bone matrix. Much of the 226Ra initially deposited in the skeleton is lost within a few days of its administration. During the first week 226Ra gradually accumulates at sites of bone deposition including accreting surfaces. Subsequent bone growth results in the burial of contaminated bone surfaces and Following bone resorption some of the 226Ra released from individual bones is recycled systemically so that all skeletal components tend towards a uniform 226Ra concentration per unit of bone mineral. Of the two models conventionally used for radiation dosimetry purposes, the results reported here for rats suggest that though neither is ideal, the volume distribution model is preferable to the surface model at all times after the uptake of radium by the skeleton.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Late health effects of childhood nasopharyngeal radium irradiation: nonmelanoma skin cancers, benign tumors, and hormonal disorders.

Nasopharyngeal radium irradiation (NRI) was widely used from 1940 through 1970 to treat otitis serosa in children and barotrauma in airmen and submariners. We assessed whether NRI-exposed individuals were at higher risk for benign tumors, nonmelanoma skin cancer, thyroid disorders, and conditions related to regulatory control of anterior pituitary hormones, such as growth and reproductive characteristics. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in 3,440 NRI-exposed and 3,088 nonexposed subjects, who as children were treated at nine ear, nose and throat clinics in The Netherlands between 1945 and 1981. Based on information from original medical records, we traced vital status through follow-up at municipal population registries. Disease status (including medical confirmation) and indicators of pituitary gland radiation damage were assessed from a self-administered questionnaire in 1997. The average radiation doses were 11, 7, and 1.5 cGy for pituitary, parotid, and thyroid gland, respectively, and 3.2 cGy for the facial skin. Among exposed subjects, 23 benign head and neck tumors were observed, compared with 21 among nonexposed subjects. Elevated risk of basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck area was observed in exposed subjects (odds ratio = 2.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.0-6.7). Exposed and nonexposed groups did not differ substantially with regard to thyroid disorders, height, and reproductive characteristics, although exposed males more frequently reported a history of fertility problems compared with nonexposed males (odds ratio = 1.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.0-2.1). We found no evidence of highly elevated risk of benign head and neck tumors, nonmelanoma skin cancer, thyroid disorders, or indicators of pituitary radiation damage after childhood NRI in The Netherlands.

Adolescent↗