Calcium uptake (absorption) and loss (resorption) from the living skeleton is of great interest to many researchers. Skeletal calcium metabolism provides information about basic bone biology, daily nutritional requirements, and bone disease. In particular osteoporosis, a bone disease characterized by reduced bone mass leading to fractures, is of concern. Conventional methodology for measuring calcium metabolism includes mass balance, dual-isotope studies, and dual X-ray absorption. These methods are slow and indirect. Short-term variations in calcium metabolism can be probed by naturally occurring biomarkers which are highly correlated with calcium kinetic values of bone formation and bone resorption rates. However, these biomarkers are highly variable. We are in the process of furthering the development of 41Ca measurements by AMS as a new direct probe of calcium metabolism. This methodology has the potential to be the gold standard for calcium metabolism measurements in humans. The purpose of this paper is to describe and elucidate the nature of the 41Ca:Ca ratio as measured by AMS in human urine. In particular we will discuss the reproducibility and accuracy of our measurements, fitting the data and availability of dose material.
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See more of The 10th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (September 5-10, 2005)