Increased¹³⁷ Caesium Whole Body Radioactivity in High-Performance Athletes

Abstract

A shadow shield whole body counter with automated gamma spectrum analysis is used in the division of nuclear medicine for the measurement of whole body radioactivity. After the radioactive fall-out in Austria caused by the Chernobyl accident the instrument has been extensively utilized for the assessment of the radiation level in the general population.

In November of 1986 and 1987 the level of internal contamination with ¹³⁷Cs in high-performance athletes was compared with a group of subjects practicing little or no sports. It was found that significantly higher contents of ¹³⁷Cs were present in the athletes. Furthermore, it was found that within the groups of athletes male subjects had significantly higher internal ¹³⁷Cs contamination per kilogram of body mass than the female subjects. An explanation for this is the different nutrition and the higher relative muscle mass of the athletes.

Key words

Whole body counter - internal contamination - ¹³⁷Cs - athletes - Chernobyl accident - radioactive fall-out