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The measurement of total body potassium (TBK) has long been recognized as an accurate index of the body’s cell mass, that is, the metabolically active tissues of the body. Whole-body counters, therefore, have been used extensively to monitor TBK in a wide range of healthy and diseased populations. Thus, we undertook the task of designing a counter that could accurately measure body potassium in a range of body sizes from a very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infant to an obese adult. A strong emphasis was placed on the in vivo measurement of TBK in healthy infants, children, and teenagers. We describe the different counting configurations and performance characteristics of the Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) whole-body counter.