PEDIATRIC BODY LEAD BURDEN BY X-RAY FLUORESCENCE

THREE TO FOUR MILLION YOUNG CHILDREN FROM ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY ARE EXPOSED TO ENVIRONMENTAL SOURCES OF LEAD AT CONCENTRATIONS THAT PLACE THEM AT RISK FOR ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS. YET, THERE IS NO TOOL AVAILABLE FOR MEASURING TOTAL PEDIATRIC BODY BURDEN OF LEAD. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AN X-RAY FLUORESCENCE (XRF) INSTRUMENT THAT WILL ALLOW MEASUREMENT OF BODY LEAD BURDEN IN CHILDREN IN VIVO AND NONINVASIVELY. EXPERIENCE GAINED FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATED STATE-OF-THE-ART ADULT XRF INSTRUMENT DURING PREVIOUS RESEARCH SERVES AS THE STEPPING STONE. USING A NOVEL DETECTOR DESIGN, A UNIQUE ANALYSIS ALGORITHM, AND INCREASES IN COLLECTION SOLID ANGLE TO IMPROVE THROUGHPUT, THIS PHASE I PROGRAM WILL PROVE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING XRF AS A PEDIATRIC SCREENING TOOL. THE ULTIMATE INSTRUMENT AFFORDS A UNIQUE CAPABILITY AS: (1) A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL IN DETERMINING THE PRESENCE OF ELEVATED BONE LEAD LEVELS, (2) A MASS SCREENING DEVICE FOR INDICATION OF CHRONIC LOW-LEVEL LEAD EXPOSURE, AND (3) AMONITORING DEVICE IN FOLLOWING PROGRESS DURING CHELATION THERAPY.