Characteristics of an Accelerator Based System for in Vivo Aluminium Measurement in Peripheral Bone

In healthy individuals, renal clearance maintains tissue and plasma concentrations of aluminium at very low levels. Elevated levels are found in patients on renal dialysis, with dialysis solutions (dialysate) containing trace levels of Al; a further risk results from an associated long term use of Al-based phosphate binders. Among dialysis patients Al has been implicated as the causative agent of encephalopathy, osteomalacia, osteodystrophy, anaemia and general malaisel. There is no easy, noninvasive, method of investigating Al overload. Measurements of Al concentration in plasma give only an estimate of recent exposure, while estimates of long-term exposure can be derived from analysis of iliac crest biopsy samples that are obtained by a painful procedure, not suitable for serial measurements.