In-vivo measurement of incorporated radionuclides as consequence of the reactor accidents in Fukushima

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology operates a laboratory for direct measuring of incorporated radionuclides using a whole-body counter with Na(Tl) detectors, a partial-body counter with Phoswich detectors and a whole/partial-body counter with pure germanium detectors. Using whole-body counters it is possible to detect nuclides with gamma emissions above 100 kev (for instance Cs-137 and I-131, K-40). The partial-body measurements allow the detection of nuclides with emission of lower gamma energy (for instance Am-241). Since March 2011 persons that returned from Japan were examined. Only two measurements showed radionuclides that could be caused by the Fukushima accident.