Non-invasive techniques to measure bone fluorine levels in vivo are few and
not well studied. These techniques would prove useful for longitudinal
studies of fluorine accumulation and treatment optimization for patients with
poor bone health. Two measurement techniques were analyzed and
improvements to each technique attempted with bone samples and
bone-mimicking phantoms. The first method analyzed was neutron
activation analysis (NAA), a technique previously studied in our laboratory.
A previous detector setup consisting of nine sodium iodide detectors was
re-tested and a new detector setup consisting of two high-purity germanium
detectors was also tested. The detection limit of the sodium iodide setup was
found to be higher than previously reported by a factor of 4, and the new
high-purity germanium detector setup was found to result in a higher
detection limit by a factor of 5 compared to the sodium iodide setup. The
second method analyzed was nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Magic
angle spinning was performed on a human bone sample, and a novel probe
was constructed for future in vivo measurements. MAS NMR measurement
of the human bone sample showed it to have an appropriate chemical shift
and shape consistent with previous research on substances similar to bone.
The constructed probe successfully resonated at the appropriate frequency,
however there were potential contamination problems which prevented a
measurable fluorine signal from being obtained. Both the NAA and NMR
techniques may be optimized further, though with the results obtained, NAA
remains the more sensitive technique for measuring bone fluorine in vivo. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Fluorine is an element which accumulates in bones and teeth. High levels of fluorine have been shown to be unhealthy, causing both dental and skeletal fluorosis. Low levels of fluorine have been shown to reduce dental cavities, however, their effect on bone health is not well understood. Currently, fluorine can be measured in bone samples from either biopsies or cadavers. Having a non-invasive way to measure fluorine concentrations in living humans without the need for surgery would be invaluable. These measurements could be used to optimize treatment for osteoporosis patients or to determine if emergency measures are necessary in cases of high accidental doses to members of the public. Additionally, long-term studies examining fluorine metabolism and bone health could be performed on population groups of interest. For these reasons, two different non-invasive methods for determining fluorine content in bone were analyzed and enhancements to each measurement technique attempted.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/23826 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Stuive, Rachel Monique |
| Contributors | McNeill, Fiona, Radiation Sciences (Medical Physics/Radiation Biology) |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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