The visualisation of fissionable radionuclides in rat lung using neutron induced autoradiography

The neutron irradiation used for producing fission fragment tracks in Lexan will not induce an image of any tissue other than mineral bone in that plastic. A new technique is described in which sections of rat lung containing 235UO2 particles were irradiated on Lexan slides with alpha particles in order to damage those parts of the Lexan surface not protected by tissue and thus produce an image of the tissue geometry on the Lexan. The slides were then irradiated with neutrons to produce fission fragment tracks from the 235UO2. High resolution and good contrast have been achieved with this technique which should prove useful for investigating fissionable isotope distribution in various soft tissues. (author)