Remanent magnetic fields for measuring particle retention and distribution in the lungs

A relatively inexpensive method for the noninvasive in vivo detection of ferrimagnetic particles within the lungs of a large laboratory animal, viz., the donkey, is described. The particles were neutron activated prior to inhalation, which permitted a comparison of two different retention measurements for the same particles, i.e., a well-characterized radiological-detection method concurrent with the newer magnetic-field technique. The long-term clearance of the particles from the lung was monitored in terms of the reduction in initial remanent field following magnetization, and the reduction in gamma-ray flux reaching the collimated scintillation detectors. Comparison of the measurements confirmed that the reduction of the initial remanent-field values with time was due to particle clearance rather than a change of the iron state to a nonmagnetic form. This validates previous reports that particle clearance studies can be performed using remanent magnetic-field measurement techniques. However, remanent magnetic-field measurements require careful design and interpretation, since they are highly sensitive to the distribution of the particles within the effective viewing field.