Measurement of total body chlorine by prompt gamma in vivo neutron activation analysis.

A method of measuring total body chlorine (TBCl) by prompt gamma in vivo neutron activation analysis is described which depends on the same NaI(Tl) spectra used for determinations of total body nitrogen. From these spectra counts ratios of chlorine to hydrogen are derived and TBCl is determined using a model of body composition which depends on measured body weight, total body water (by tritium dilution) and protein (6.25 X nitrogen) as well as estimated body minerals and glycogen. The precision of the method based on scanning an anthropomorphic phantom is at present only approximately 9% (SD), for a patient dose equivalent of less than 0.30 mSv. Spectra collected from 67 normal volunteers (32 male, 35 female) yielded mean values of TBCl of 72 +/- 19 (SD) g in males and 53.6 +/- 15 g in females, in broad agreement with values reported by workers using delayed gamma methods. Results are also presented for two human cadavers analysed both by neutron activation and by conventional chemical analysis; the ratios of TBCl (neutron activation) to TBCl (chemical) were 0.980 +/- 0.028 (SEM) and 0.91 +/- 0.09. Finally, it is suggested that an improvement in precision will be achieved by increasing the scanning time (thereby increasing the radiation dose equivalent) and by adding two more detectors.