Postmortem Findings and Radio-Activity Determinations Five Years after Injection of Thorotrast

RECENTLY there has been considerable discussion as to whether or not thorotrast should be used for visualization in radiography of the liver and spleen. Thorotrast contains “25 per cent by volume of thorium dioxide (19 per cent to 20 per cent by weight), about the same amount of protective colloid, said to be of a carbohydrate nature and further defined as a dextrin preparation. It contains as a preservative 0.15 per cent of methyl phydroxy benzoate” (1). Report of Case The patient, female, white, by occupation housewife, aged 73, was admitted to the Montefiore Hospital on May 18, 1937, with complaints of weakness, vertigo, palpitation, shortness of breath, a choking sensation in the chest, insomnia, anorexia, and nervousness. In 1932 she had been admitted to another institution for increasing weakness and loss of weight of five months' duration, together with anorexia, palpitation, and dyspnea on exertion. Five months before, she had had a three-day period of chills, fever, and malaise. On physical exami...