Evaluation of recommended methods for radioisotopes red cell survival studies

Mean red cell life-span in normal subjects and in patients with various hematological disorders was examined with 51Cr and DF32P. The results with 51Cr were corrected for 51Cr elution using correction factors. The results by the two methods agreed fairly well with each other. Elution rate in various hematological disorders was 2.3% per day or less except for the patients with extracorpuscular hemolytic agents such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia or congestive splenomegaly. It is concluded that estimates of mean red cell life-span by corrected 51Cr method are more useful and sufficient than uncorrected 51Cr or DF32P method in general hematological disorders.