Re: Schilling Test

[BFLOOD@SLAC.Stanford.EDU (Bob Flood)]

I never received the original post on this subject, and I may be offerring
the wrong info as a result. If so, I apologize and beg to be ignored.

The Schilling test is described correctly below. It employs injected Co-57
labeled Vitamin B-12, and retention of the Co-57 is an indication of
pernicious anemia. Rapid excretion is indicative of the disease's absence. I
encountered this at a nuclear power plant where the worker's annual whole
body count identifed Co-57. The worker was unaware that radioactive material
had been used in diagnostic testing, and was very interested to know how I
knew he was tested for perniscious anemia (and the WBC showed he was
anemic). A simple reference on this general topic is the ICRP publication on
Radiopharmaceuticals - I'm not sure of the number - I think it's 57 or 58.


>"In the Schilling Test, a 0.5 microcurie dose of radiocobalt-labeled vitamin
>is administered orally to the patient; his urine is collected for 24 hours and
>radioassayed with a well scintillation counter along with a standard.  A
>24-hour urinary excretion of less than 7% of the ingested dose is suggestive
>of pernicious anemia."
>
Bob Flood
Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are mine alone.
(415) 926-3793
bflood@slac.stanford.edu