Retention of Radiophosphorus in Whole and Aliquot Portions of Tissues of Patient Dead of Leukemia

Abstract

This note presents the radioactive phosphorus (P³²) and the non-radioactive phosphorus (P³¹) content of tissues obtained from a patient dead of chronic lymphoid leukemia, who had received orally 19 days before death a single administration of a sodium phosphate solution, containing radio-phosphorus, which emitted 20 millicuries of beta radiation on the day of administration. 1

Materials and Methods. The radio-phosphorus was produced by the Berkeley cyclotron. 2 The patient was a 65-year-old carpenter who on August 16, 1940, complained of fatigue and headaches of 2 weeks' duration, and who on physical examination had an enlarged spleen and enlarged inguinal glands. The blood findings were: Hemoglobin, 37%; r.b.c., 2,000,000; w.b.c., 125,600. 99% of the latter were small leukemic lymphocytes. On October 20, 1940, the patient took orally 120 cc of a solution containing 3.6 g of sodium phosphate and emitting 20 millicuries of beta radiation. Between 10/28/40 and 11/7/40 the patient received 2350 cc of blood without marked alterations in the blood findings. The patient died 11/8/40. Fortunately it was possible to obtain at postmortem all of the organs and one entire lower extremity. Typical gross pathological findings of leukemia were observed. Thirty-eight organs and tissues were weighed as were small aliquots (5 g approx.) of each. Then the whole organs and tissues and their aliquots were placed in separate crucibles and all ashed at 400°C. The ashes (all of which weighed less than 200 mg each) of the aliquots were immediately measured for radioactivity by use of an electrometer. The ashes of the whole organs and tissues were thoroughly mixed and 100 mg aliquots were assayed for radioactivity. Quantitative phosphorus analyses were made by the method of Pregl. 3