Samples of vertebral bone were obtained by skeletal biopsy and lead concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The median level of lead in bone in 27 active lead workers was 29 micrograms/g wet weight (range 2-155), corresponding to 370 micrograms/g calcium (range 30-1,120). In 9 retired workers, the corresponding levels were 19 micrograms/g (5-76) and 250 micrograms/g calcium (60-700); in 14 reference subjects without occupational exposure, 1.3 micrograms/g (1-4) and 13 micrograms/g calcium (8-40). The bone lead content rose with time of exposure. Comparison of levels in vertebra with those in fingerbone, as measured by in vivo x-ray fluorescence in the same subjects, strongly suggested the presence of lead pools with different kinetics. The accumulation pattern, as well as the relation between levels in vertebra and fingerbone, suggests a much shorter half-time of lead in the mainly trabecular vertebral bone as compared to the mainly cortical fingerbone. Further, there was an association between vertebral and blood lead levels in the retired workers, which shows a considerable endogenous lead exposure from the skeletal pool.

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In 2007, the European Commission (EC) commissioned a group of experts to undertake the revision of Report Radiation Protection (RP) 91, written in 1997, on 'Criteria for acceptability of radiological (including radiotherapy) and nuclear medicine installations'. The revised draft report was submitted to the EC. Before publication, the EC issued this document for public consultation and has commissioned the same group of experts to consider the comments of the public consultation in further improving the revised report. The EC intends to publish the final report under its Radiation Report Series with the number RP 162. This paper introduces the project and presents the methodology adopted to devise the criteria of acceptability/suspension levels for nuclear medicine equipment.