Concentration and distribution of elements in normal and tumor tissue of the rat analyzed by the Hamburg proton microprobe

Concentrations of chemical elements in different organs of healthy, of tumor (rhabdomyosarcoma R1H) bearing and of cis-diamminodichloroplatinum (cisDDP) treated rats were analyzed with a 2 MeV proton microprobe. Characteristic concentrations were found in spleen, liver, kidney, muscle and tumor. Bromine concentrations were elevated after three weeks of tumor growth. As a result of cisDDP application, they dropped considerably. These alterations were found not only in tumor tissue but also in organs not directly involved in tumor growth (e.g. liver and spleen). Platinum as a marker for the drug could be detected in all tissues except muscle. The highest concentrations were found in the kidney. With the scanning microprobe, elemental maps in several tissues were investigated. These could be correlated to histological details (e.g. in spleen and tumor). (author)