Determination of gold accumulation in human tissues caused by gold therapy using x-ray fluorescence analysis.

Human autopsy tissues from five patients with rheumatoid arthritis, who had been treated with aqueous solutions of gold and from an untreated control cadaver with the same disease, were analysed by x-ray flurescence spectrometry using a conventional Si(Li) detection system. The gold and zinc concentrations of tissues were determined and compared to some results available in the literature. Correlation has been found between Zn and Au concentrations in heart, lung, kidney and liver tissues.