Abstract： Objective To determine the concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in three kinds of materials (cartilage, cortical bone, and cancellous bone) of the femur head obtained from patients in the process of operation. Methods Concentrations of Pb and Cd were determined in selected parts of the femur head of 30 patients after total hip arthroplasty, using ICP‐AES (atomic absorption spectrophotometry). Results Pb contained the highest concentration in cortical bone, while Cd did so in cancellous bone. There were statistically significant differences in the concentrations of both elements between the cartilage and cortical bone, and also differences in the concentration of Pb between the cartilage and cancellous bone. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of Pb or Cd between cortical and cancellous bone.Conclusion Comparative studies on toxic metals should take into account both analogous bones and their fragments, as even if they come from the same kind of bones (e.g. femur head), clear differences exist in concentrations of heavy metals related to the sampling site and type of tissue (cartilage, cortical bone, and cancellous bone).