About radioactivity in some PMMA bone cements.

Various bone cements containing zirconium oxide (ZrO2) as X-ray contrast medium were tested for radioactivity by means of a gamma spectrometer. All measured bone cements (PALACOS, IMPLAST, SULFIX-6) showed a certain degree of radioactivity. The radiation source in the bone cement is the added zirconium oxide, which is polluted by radioactive elements. As these X-ray contrast media remain in the body for decades as components of the bone cement, the radioactive zirconium oxides should be substituted by high purity radiation-free zirconium oxide or barium sulfate.