ACTIVATION ANALYSIS IN VIVO USING 5 MEV INCIDENT NEUTRONS

Activation analysis using 5 MeV incident neutrons has been considered as a method for estimating whole-body sodium, chlorine and calcium in humans. Experiments with irradiated phantoms have shown that adequate uniformity of thermal neutron activation could be achieved in most subjects, though when the incident neutron energy was reduced to 2.5 MeV, serious non-uniformities arose. With 5 MeV incident neutrons, no difficulties are expected from the interfering activities induced by the fast flux when 14 MeV sources are employed. The method has been applied succesfully to the analysis of small animals. © 1969.