The Deposition of Uranium in Bone

Abstract Quantitative autoradiography was employed to study the distribution of two isotopes of uranium in the bones of dogs. 232U or 233U was injected intravenously as the nitrate into adult dogs, and the animals were sacrificed serially at times ranging from 2 to 72 days after injection. The femora and tibia were taken at the time of sacrifice for autoradiographic analysis. The results showed that at 2 days after injection, the uranium had a distribution pattern very similar to that seen with plutonium, i.e., it was localized on bone surfaces. By 6 days, however, a diffuse distribution of this element was present. Seventy-two days after isotope administration the distribution pattern was remarkably like that of calcium, with intense hot spots over the growth regions and a diffuse distribution throughout all of the pre-existing bone.