Blood, 1958, Vol. 13, No. 9, pp. 865-873.
© 1958 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Hematologic Findings in Human Beings Given
Therapeutic Doses of Gallium-72
W. WOLINS 1 and
V. P. BOND 1
1 Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, L. I., New York.
The hematologic effects of Ga72 administered intravenously to patients with
diffuse bony metastases or primary bone malignancy were studied.
1. The effects of this internally administered isotope were, in general, similar
to those resulting from total-body external radiation. The degree of effect was
greater than that anticipated from estimates of the total-body dose received
from the isotope. Localization in the bone may have been responsible for
this finding.
2. The depth and duration of platelet count depression probably represented
the best indices of the degree of marrow damage after radiation, and may be indicative also of the total damage sustained by the marrow from previous
exposure.
3. The effects of large doses of radiation on the marrow appeared to be
cumulative to a point of no return, beyond which regeneration may not be
possible.
4. It was found that a total white count below 1,000 and a platelet count
below 25,000 could be tolerated for weeks without infection or gross bleeding
and with ultimate recovery. Therapy because of these findings alone did not
appear to be indicated.
Submitted on February 25, 1958
Accepted on April 12, 1958
