Intercalibration experiments with inhaled ''mock plutonium''

Review of the results of several intercalibration experiments performed with inhaled mock Pu over the past twenty years reveals that a calibration method based on the concept of effective soft tissue thickness gives acceptable results; most calibration methods used in 1972 were in error by as much as a factor of three; the Livermore phantom is an appropriate calibration method for males; and the Livermore phantom, with minimal modifications, will also provide suitable calibrations for females. Future studies may investigate the effect of particle size on the distribution of inhaled activity in the lungs and may extend the range of body sizes for which in vivo calibration data are available. 6 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs