In vivo x-ray fluorescence technique for the determination of heavy metals

The technique of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, which for many years has been routinely applied to mineral analysis, has more recently found important applications in medical diagnosis. It is ideally suited to the measurement of heavy metals (lead, mercury, platinum, etc.) in the bones, kidneys, or in tumours (under treatment by platinum-containing drugs), and can for example, detect quantities of lead which are often found in the bones of environmental-exposed persons. An outline is given of the steps involved in designing, setting up and using a new measurement system for patient work