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Sholom S, McKeever SWS, Escalona MB, Ryan TL, Balajee AS. A comparative validation of biodosimetry and physical dosimetry techniques for possible triage applications in emergency dosimetry. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2022; 42:021515. [PMID: 35196651 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6498/ac5815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale radiological accidents or nuclear terrorist incidents involving radiological or nuclear materials can potentially expose thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of people to unknown radiation doses, requiring prompt dose reconstruction for appropriate triage. Two types of dosimetry methods namely, biodosimetry and physical dosimetry are currently utilized for estimating absorbed radiation dose in humans. Both methods have been tested separately in several inter-laboratory comparison exercises, but a direct comparison of physical dosimetry with biological dosimetry has not been performed to evaluate their dose prediction accuracies. The current work describes the results of the direct comparison of absorbed doses estimated by physical (smartphone components) and biodosimetry (dicentric chromosome assay (DCA) performed in human peripheral blood lymphocytes) methods. For comparison, human peripheral blood samples (biodosimetry) and different components of smartphones, namely surface mount resistors (SMRs), inductors and protective glasses (physical dosimetry) were exposed to different doses of photons (0-4.4 Gy; values refer to dose to blood after correction) and the absorbed radiation doses were reconstructed by biodosimetry (DCA) and physical dosimetry (optically stimulated luminescence (OSL)) methods. Additionally, LiF:Mg,Ti (TLD-100) chips and Al2O3:C (Luxel) films were used as reference TL and OSL dosimeters, respectively. The best coincidence between biodosimetry and physical dosimetry was observed for samples of blood and SMRs exposed toγ-rays. Significant differences were observed in the reconstructed doses by the two dosimetry methods for samples exposed to x-ray photons with energy below 100 keV. The discrepancy is probably due to the energy dependence of mass energy-absorption coefficients of the samples extracted from the phones. Our results of comparative validation of the radiation doses reconstructed by luminescence dosimetry from smartphone components with biodosimetry using DCA from human blood suggest the potential use of smartphone components as an effective emergency triage tool for high photon energies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Sholom
- Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States of America
| | - Stephen W S McKeever
- Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States of America
| | - Maria B Escalona
- Cytogenetic Biodosimetry Laboratory, Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
| | - Terri L Ryan
- Cytogenetic Biodosimetry Laboratory, Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
| | - Adayabalam S Balajee
- Cytogenetic Biodosimetry Laboratory, Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
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Drozdovitch V. Radiation Exposure to the Thyroid After the Chernobyl Accident. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:569041. [PMID: 33469445 PMCID: PMC7813882 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.569041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Chernobyl accident resulted in a considerable release of radioactivity to the atmosphere, particularly of Iodine-131 (131I), with the greatest contamination occurring in Belarus, Ukraine, and western part of Russia. MATERIAL AND METHODS Increase in thyroid cancer and other thyroid diseases incidence in population exposed to Chernobyl fallout in these counties was the major health effect of the accident. Therefore, a lot of attention was paid to the thyroid doses, mainly, the 131I intake during two months after the accident. This paper reviews thyroid doses, both the individual for the subjects of radiation epidemiological studies and population-average doses. Exposure to 131I intake and other exposure pathways to population of affected regions and the Chernobyl cleanup workers (liquidators) are considered. RESULTS Individual thyroid doses due to 131I intake varied up to 42 Gy and depended on the age of the person, the region where a person was exposed, and their cow's milk consumption habits. Population-average thyroid doses among children of youngest age reached up to 0.75 Gy in the most contaminated area, the Gomel Oblast, in Belarus. Intake of 131I was the main pathway of exposure to the thyroid gland; its mean contribution to the thyroid dose in affected regions was more than 90%. The mean thyroid dose from inhalation of 131I for early Chernobyl cleanup workers was estimated to be 0.18 Gy. Individual thyroid doses due to different exposure pathways varied among 1,137 cleanup workers included in the epidemiological studies up to 9 Gy. Uncertainties associated with dose estimates, in terms of mean geometric standard deviation of individual stochastic doses, varied in range from 1.6 for doses based on individual-radiation measurements to 2.6 for "modelled" doses. CONCLUSION The 131I was the most radiologically important radionuclide that resulted in radiation exposure to the thyroid gland and cause an increase in the of rate of thyroid cancer and other thyroid diseases in population exposed after the Chernobyl accident.
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Zou J, Guo J, Dong G, Ma L, Cong J, Liu Y, Tian Y, Wu K. Effect of the tooth surface water on the accuracy of dose reconstructions in the X-band in vivo EPR dosimetry. Appl Radiat Isot 2018; 139:86-90. [PMID: 29729486 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2018.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The X-band in vivo EPR tooth dosimetry is promising as a tool for the initial triage after a large-scale radiation accident. The dielectric losses caused by water on the tooth surface (WTS) are one of the major sources of inaccuracies in this method. The effect was studied by theoretical simulation calculations and experiments with water films of various thicknesses on teeth. The results demonstrate the possibility of sufficiently accurate measurements of the radiation-induced signal of the tooth enamel provided that the thickness of the water film on the tooth is below 60 µm. The sensitivity of the cavity decreases with increasing thickness of the water layer. The interference of WTS can be diminished by normalization of the radiation-induced signal to the signal of a reference sample permanently present in the cavity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jierui Zou
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China
| | - Junwang Guo
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China
| | - Guofu Dong
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China
| | - Lei Ma
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China
| | - Jianbo Cong
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China
| | - Ye Liu
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China
| | - Ye Tian
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China
| | - Ke Wu
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (No. BZ0325), China.
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Hall J, Jeggo PA, West C, Gomolka M, Quintens R, Badie C, Laurent O, Aerts A, Anastasov N, Azimzadeh O, Azizova T, Baatout S, Baselet B, Benotmane MA, Blanchardon E, Guéguen Y, Haghdoost S, Harms-Ringhdahl M, Hess J, Kreuzer M, Laurier D, Macaeva E, Manning G, Pernot E, Ravanat JL, Sabatier L, Tack K, Tapio S, Zitzelsberger H, Cardis E. Ionizing radiation biomarkers in epidemiological studies - An update. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2017; 771:59-84. [PMID: 28342453 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent epidemiology studies highlighted the detrimental health effects of exposure to low dose and low dose rate ionizing radiation (IR): nuclear industry workers studies have shown increased leukaemia and solid tumour risks following cumulative doses of <100mSv and dose rates of <10mGy per year; paediatric patients studies have reported increased leukaemia and brain tumours risks after doses of 30-60mGy from computed tomography scans. Questions arise, however, about the impact of even lower doses and dose rates where classical epidemiological studies have limited power but where subsets within the large cohorts are expected to have an increased risk. Further progress requires integration of biomarkers or bioassays of individual exposure, effects and susceptibility to IR. The European DoReMi (Low Dose Research towards Multidisciplinary Integration) consortium previously reviewed biomarkers for potential use in IR epidemiological studies. Given the increased mechanistic understanding of responses to low dose radiation the current review provides an update covering technical advances and recent studies. A key issue identified is deciding which biomarkers to progress. A roadmap is provided for biomarker development from discovery to implementation and used to summarise the current status of proposed biomarkers for epidemiological studies. Most potential biomarkers remain at the discovery stage and for some there is sufficient evidence that further development is not warranted. One biomarker identified in the final stages of development and as a priority for further research is radiation specific mRNA transcript profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Hall
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Lyon, F-69424, France.
| | - Penny A Jeggo
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Catharine West
- Translational Radiobiology Group, Institute of Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Christie Hospital, Manchester, M20 4BX, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Gomolka
- Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Department of Radiation Protection and Health, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Roel Quintens
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, B-2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Christophe Badie
- Cancer Mechanisms and Biomarkers group, Radiation Effects Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Olivier Laurent
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - An Aerts
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, B-2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Nataša Anastasov
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Institute of Radiation Biology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Omid Azimzadeh
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Institute of Radiation Biology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Tamara Azizova
- Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, Clinical Department, Ozyorsk, Russia
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, B-2400 Mol, Belgium; Cell Systems and Imaging Research Group, Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bjorn Baselet
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, B-2400 Mol, Belgium; Pole of Pharmacology, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mohammed A Benotmane
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, B-2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Eric Blanchardon
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Yann Guéguen
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Siamak Haghdoost
- Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mats Harms-Ringhdahl
- Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julia Hess
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Institute of Radiation Biology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Kreuzer
- Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Department of Radiation Protection and Health, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Dominique Laurier
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Ellina Macaeva
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, B-2400 Mol, Belgium; Cell Systems and Imaging Research Group, Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Grainne Manning
- Cancer Mechanisms and Biomarkers group, Radiation Effects Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Eileen Pernot
- INSERM U897, Université de Bordeaux, F-33076 Bordeaux cedex, France
| | - Jean-Luc Ravanat
- Laboratoire des Lésions des Acides Nucléiques, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, INAC-SCIB, F-38000 Grenoble, France; Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, INAC-SyMMES, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Laure Sabatier
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, BP6, F-92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Karine Tack
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Soile Tapio
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Institute of Radiation Biology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Horst Zitzelsberger
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Institute of Radiation Biology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Cardis
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, Radiation Programme, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) (MTD formerly), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
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Bailiff I, Sholom S, McKeever S. Retrospective and emergency dosimetry in response to radiological incidents and nuclear mass-casualty events: A review. RADIAT MEAS 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Drozdovitch V, Chumak V, Kesminiene A, Ostroumova E, Bouville A. Doses for post-Chernobyl epidemiological studies: are they reliable? JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2016; 36:R36-R73. [PMID: 27355439 PMCID: PMC9426290 DOI: 10.1088/0952-4746/36/3/r36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
On 26 April 2016, thirty years will have elapsed since the occurrence of the Chernobyl accident, which has so far been the most severe in the history of the nuclear reactor industry. Numerous epidemiological studies were conducted to evaluate the possible health consequences of the accident. Since the credibility of the association between the radiation exposure and health outcome is highly dependent on the adequacy of the dosimetric quantities used in these studies, this paper makes an effort to overview the methods used to estimate individual doses and the associated uncertainties in the main analytical epidemiological studies (i.e. cohort or case-control) related to the Chernobyl accident. Based on the thorough analysis and comparison with other radiation studies, the authors conclude that individual doses for the Chernobyl analytical epidemiological studies have been calculated with a relatively high degree of reliability and well-characterized uncertainties, and that they compare favorably with many other non-Chernobyl studies. The major strengths of the Chernobyl studies are: (1) they are grounded on a large number of measurements, either performed on humans or made in the environment; and (2) extensive effort has been invested to evaluate the uncertainties associated with the dose estimates. Nevertheless, gaps in the methodology are identified and suggestions for the possible improvement of the current dose estimates are made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Drozdovitch
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vadim Chumak
- National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | | | - André Bouville
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Retired
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7
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Chumak VV. Retrospective dosimetry of populations exposed to reactor accident: Chernobyl example, lesson for Fukushima. RADIAT MEAS 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2012.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Chumak VV. The Chernobyl experience in the area of retrospective dosimetry. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2012; 32:N59-N63. [PMID: 22394623 DOI: 10.1088/0952-4746/32/1/n59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The Chernobyl accident, which occurred on 26 April 1986 at a nuclear power plant located less than 150 km north of Kiev, was the largest nuclear accident to date. The unprecedented scale of the accident was determined not only by the amount of released activity, but also by the number of workers and of the general public involved, and therefore exposed to increased doses of ionising radiation. Due to the unexpected and large scale of the accident, dosimetry techniques and practices were far from the optimum; personal dosimetry of cleanup workers (liquidators) was not complete, and there were no direct measurements of the exposures of members of the public. As a result, an acute need for retrospective dose assessment was dictated by radiation protection and research considerations. In response, substantial efforts have been made to reconstruct doses for the main exposed cohorts, using a broad variety of newly developed methods: analytical, biological and physical (electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of teeth, thermoluminescence of quartz) and modelling. This paper reviews the extensive experience gained by the National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Ukraine in the field of retrospective dosimetry of large cohorts of exposed population and professionals. These dose reconstruction projects were implemented, in particular, in the framework of epidemiological studies, designed to follow-up the medical consequences of the Chernobyl accident and study health effects of ionizing radiation, particularly Ukrainian-American studies of cataracts and leukaemia among liquidators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim V Chumak
- National Research Center for Radiation Medicine NAMS Ukraine 04050, Melnikova 53, Kiev, Ukraine.
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Pandey BN, Kumar A, Tiwari P, Mishra KP. Radiobiological basis in management of accidental radiation exposure. Int J Radiat Biol 2010; 86:613-35. [DOI: 10.3109/09553001003746059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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10
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Fattibene P, Callens F. EPR dosimetry with tooth enamel: A review. Appl Radiat Isot 2010; 68:2033-116. [PMID: 20599388 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2010.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2010] [Accepted: 05/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
When tooth enamel is exposed to ionizing radiation, radicals are formed, which can be detected using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques. EPR dosimetry using tooth enamel is based on the (presumed) correlation between the intensity or amplitude of some of the radiation-induced signals with the dose absorbed in the enamel. In the present paper a critical review is given of this widely applied dosimetric method. The first part of the paper is fairly fundamental and deals with the main properties of tooth enamel and some of its model systems (e.g., synthetic apatites). Considerable attention is also paid to the numerous radiation-induced and native EPR signals and the radicals responsible for them. The relevant methods for EPR detection, identification and spectrum analyzing are reviewed from a general point of view. Finally, the needs for solid-state modelling and studies of the linearity of the dose response are investigated. The second part is devoted to the practical implementation of EPR dosimetry using enamel. It concerns specific problems of preparation of samples, their irradiation and spectrum acquisition. It also describes how the dosimetric signal intensity and dose can be retrieved from the EPR spectra. Special attention is paid to the energy dependence of the EPR response and to sources of uncertainties. Results of and problems encountered in international intercomparisons and epidemiological studies are also dealt with. In the final section the future of EPR dosimetry with tooth enamel is analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Fattibene
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Technology and Health, Viale Regina Elena, Rome, Italy.
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Kryuchkov V, Chumak V, Maceika E, Anspaugh LR, Cardis E, Bakhanova E, Golovanov I, Drozdovitch V, Luckyanov N, Kesminiene A, Voillequé P, Bouville A. Radrue method for reconstruction of external photon doses for Chernobyl liquidators in epidemiological studies. HEALTH PHYSICS 2009; 97:275-98. [PMID: 19741357 PMCID: PMC2930607 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0b013e3181ac9306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Between 1986 and 1990, several hundred thousand workers, called "liquidators" or "clean-up workers," took part in decontamination and recovery activities within the 30-km zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, where a major accident occurred in April 1986. The Chernobyl liquidators were mainly exposed to external ionizing radiation levels that depended primarily on their work locations and the time after the accident when the work was performed. Because individual doses were often monitored inadequately or were not monitored at all for the majority of liquidators, a new method of photon (i.e., gamma and x rays) dose assessment, called "RADRUE" (Realistic Analytical Dose Reconstruction with Uncertainty Estimation), was developed to obtain unbiased and reasonably accurate estimates for use in three epidemiologic studies of hematological malignancies and thyroid cancer among liquidators. The RADRUE program implements a time-and-motion dose-reconstruction method that is flexible and conceptually easy to understand. It includes a large exposure rate database and interpolation and extrapolation techniques to calculate exposure rates at places where liquidators lived and worked within approximately 70 km of the destroyed reactor. The RADRUE technique relies on data collected from subjects' interviews conducted by trained interviewers, and on expert dosimetrists to interpret the information and provide supplementary information, when necessary, based upon their own Chernobyl experience. The RADRUE technique was used to estimate doses from external irradiation, as well as uncertainties, to the bone marrow for 929 subjects and to the thyroid gland for 530 subjects enrolled in epidemiologic studies. Individual bone marrow dose estimates were found to range from less than one muGy to 3,300 mGy, with an arithmetic mean of 71 mGy. Individual thyroid dose estimates were lower and ranged from 20 muGy to 507 mGy, with an arithmetic mean of 29 mGy. The uncertainties, expressed in terms of geometric standard deviations, ranged from 1.1 to 5.8, with an arithmetic mean of 1.9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Kryuchkov
- Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center (formerly Institute of Biophysics), 46 Zhivopisnaya Street, 123182, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vadim Chumak
- Research Center for Radiation Medicine AMS Ukraine, 53, Melnikova Street, 04050, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Evaldas Maceika
- Institute of Physics, 231, Savanoriu, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Lynn R. Anspaugh
- University of Utah, Division of Radiobiology, 729 Arapeen Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, USA
| | - Elisabeth Cardis
- Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
- Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Bakhanova
- Research Center for Radiation Medicine AMS Ukraine, 53, Melnikova Street, 04050, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Ivan Golovanov
- Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center (formerly Institute of Biophysics), 46 Zhivopisnaya Street, 123182, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir Drozdovitch
- DHHS/NIH/NCI/Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, 6120 Executive Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nickolas Luckyanov
- DHHS/NIH/NCI/Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, 6120 Executive Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ausrele Kesminiene
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150, Cours Albert Thomas, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Paul Voillequé
- MJP Risk Assessment, Inc., P. O. Box 200937, Denver, CO 80220-0937, USA
| | - André Bouville
- DHHS/NIH/NCI/Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, 6120 Executive Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Kesminiene A, Evrard AS, Ivanov VK, Malakhova IV, Kurtinaitis J, Stengrevics A, Tekkel M, Anspaugh LR, Bouville A, Chekin S, Chumak VV, Drozdovitch V, Gapanovich V, Golovanov I, Hubert P, Illichev SV, Khait SE, Kryuchkov VP, Maceika E, Maksyoutov M, Mirkhaidarov AK, Polyakov S, Shchukina N, Tenet V, Tserakhovich TI, Tsykalo A, Tukov AR, Cardis E. Risk of hematological malignancies among Chernobyl liquidators. Radiat Res 2008; 170:721-35. [PMID: 19138033 PMCID: PMC2904977 DOI: 10.1667/rr1231.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2007] [Accepted: 07/01/2008] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A case-control study of hematological malignancies was conducted among Chernobyl liquidators (accident recovery workers) from Belarus, Russia and Baltic countries to assess the effect of low- to medium-dose protracted radiation exposures on the relative risk of these diseases. The study was nested within cohorts of liquidators who had worked around the Chernobyl plant in 1986-1987. A total of 117 cases [69 leukemia, 34 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 14 other malignancies of lymphoid and hematopoietic tissue] and 481 matched controls were included in the study. Individual dose to the bone marrow and uncertainties were estimated for each subject. The main analyses were restricted to 70 cases (40 leukemia, 20 NHL and 10 other) and their 287 matched controls with reliable information on work in the Chernobyl area. Most subjects received very low doses (median 13 mGy). For all diagnoses combined, a significantly elevated OR was seen at doses of 200 mGy and above. The excess relative risk (ERR) per 100 mGy was 0.60 [90% confidence interval (CI) -0.02, 2.35]. The corresponding estimate for leukemia excluding chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) was 0.50 (90% CI -0.38, 5.7). It is slightly higher than but statistically compatible with those estimated from A-bomb survivors and recent low-dose-rate studies. Although sensitivity analyses showed generally similar results, we cannot rule out the possibility that biases and uncertainties could have led to over- or underestimation of the risk in this study.
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Chumak VV, Romanenko AY, Voillequé PG, Bakhanova EV, Gudzenko N, Hatch M, Zablotska LB, Golovanov IA, Luckyanov NK, Sholom SV, Kryuchkov VP, Bouville A. The Ukrainian-American study of leukemia and related disorders among Chornobyl cleanup workers from Ukraine: II. Estimation of bone marrow doses. Radiat Res 2008; 170:698-710. [PMID: 19138037 PMCID: PMC3033011 DOI: 10.1667/rr1403.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2008] [Accepted: 08/04/2008] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
After the accident that took place on 26 April 1986 at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, hundreds of thousands of cleanup workers were involved in emergency measures and decontamination activities. In the framework of an epidemiological study of leukemia and other related blood diseases among Ukrainian cleanup workers, individual bone marrow doses have been estimated for 572 cases and controls. Because dose records were available for only about half of the study subjects, a time-and-motion method of dose reconstruction that would be applicable to all study subjects, whether dead or alive, was developed. The doses were calculated in a stochastic mode, thus providing estimates of uncertainties. The arithmetic mean individual bone marrow doses were found to range from 0.00004 to 3,300 mGy, with an average value of 87 mGy over the 572 study subjects. The uncertainties, characterized by the geometric standard deviation of the probability distribution of the individual dose, varied from subject to subject and had a median value of about 2. These results should be treated as preliminary; it is likely that the dose calculations and particularly the uncertainty estimates will be improved in the follow-up of this effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim V. Chumak
- Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Anatoly Ye. Romanenko
- Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Elena V. Bakhanova
- Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Natalya Gudzenko
- Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Maureen Hatch
- DHHS/NIH/NCI/Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lydia B. Zablotska
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Sergey V. Sholom
- Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - André Bouville
- DHHS/NIH/NCI/Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Bethesda, Maryland
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Williams BB, Sucheta A, Dong R, Sakata Y, Iwasaki A, Burke G, Grinberg O, Lesniewski P, Kmiec M, Swartz HM. Experimental Procedures for Sensitive and Reproducible In Situ EPR Tooth Dosimetry. RADIAT MEAS 2007; 42:1094-1098. [PMID: 18591989 DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2007.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In vivo electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) tooth dosimetry provides a means for non-invasive retrospective assessment of personal radiation exposure. While there is a clear need for such capabilities following radiation accidents, the most pressing need for the development of this technology is the heightened likelihood of terrorist events or nuclear conflicts. This technique will enable such measurements to be made at the site of an incident, while the subject is present, to assist emergency personnel as they perform triage for the affected population. At Dartmouth Medical School this development is currently being tested with normal volunteers with irradiated teeth placed in their mouths and with patients who have undergone radiation therapy. Here we describe progress in practical procedures to provide accurate and reproducible in vivo dose estimates.
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15
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Chumak VV, Worgul BV, Kundiyev YI, Sergiyenko NM, Vitte PM, Medvedovsky C, Bakhanova EV, Junk AK, Kyrychenko OY, Musijachenko NV, Sholom SV, Shylo SA, Vitte OP, Xu S, Xue X, Shore RE. Dosimetry for a Study of Low-Dose Radiation Cataracts among Chernobyl Clean-up Workers. Radiat Res 2007; 167:606-14. [PMID: 17474785 DOI: 10.1667/rr0302.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2005] [Accepted: 12/21/2006] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
A cohort of 8,607 Ukrainian Chernobyl clean-up workers during 1986-1987 was formed to study cataract formation after ionizing radiation exposure. Study eligibility required the availability of sufficient exposure information to permit the reconstruction of doses to the lens of the eye. Eligible groups included civilian workers, such as those who built the "sarcophagus" over the reactor, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Workers, and military reservists who were conscripted for clean-up work. Many of the official doses for workers were estimates, because only a minority wore radiation badges. For 106 military workers, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements of extracted teeth were compared with the recorded doses as the basis to adjust the recorded gamma-ray doses and provide estimates of uncertainties. Beta-particle doses to the lens were estimated with an algorithm devised to take into account the nature and location of Chernobyl work, time since the accident, and protective measures taken. A Monte Carlo routine generated 500 random estimates for each individual from the uncertainty distributions of the gamma-ray dose and of the ratio of beta-particle to gamma-ray doses. The geometric mean of the 500 combined beta-particle and gamma-ray dose estimates for each individual was used in the data analyses. The median estimated lens dose for the cohort was 123 mGy, while 4.4% received >500 mGy.
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Affiliation(s)
- V V Chumak
- Scientific Center for Radiation Medicine AMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine
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16
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Bhat M. EPR tooth dosimetry as a tool for validation of retrospective doses: an end-user perspective. Appl Radiat Isot 2005; 62:155-61. [PMID: 15607442 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2004.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is co-funding several studies on health effects of radiation in Southern Urals in Russia and on Chernobyl liquidators in Ukraine. Obtaining dose-response relationships is central to all these studies. In order to validate retrospective doses estimated by various methods, Electron paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) tooth dosimetry, considered by many as a gold standard, was attempted. The EPR technique, however, has some limitations. This paper discusses the potential pitfalls of using EPR tooth dosimetry, and some potential solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohandas Bhat
- Office of Health Studies, EH-51, 270 Corporate Center, Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20585, USA.
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