Method and apparatus for diagnosis of lead toxicity
US4845729A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 22, 1988 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 22, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/485
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Improved methods and apparatus for in vivo measurement of the skeletal lead burden of a patient and for diagnosis of lead toxicity are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an x-ray tube emitting soft low energy x-rays from a silver anode, a polarizer for polarizing the emitted x-rays, and a detector for detecting photons fluoresced from atoms in the patient's tibia upon irradiation by the polarized x-rays. The fluoresced photons are spectrally analyzed to determine their energy distribution. Peaks indicating the presence of lead are identified if the patient has relatively high bone lead content. The data may be compared to data recorded with respect to a similar test performed on patients having also had the conventional EDTA chelation tests performed thereon in order to correlate the test results with respect to a particular patient to the conventionally accepted EDTA chelation test.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.