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EPR retrospective dosimetry with fingernails: report on first application cases
Francois Trompier1, François Queinnec, Eric Bey
1*Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, IRSN, BP17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France; †Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, Service d'Hématologie, BP 410, 92141 Clamart Cedex, France; ‡Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, Service de Chirurgie Plastique, BP 410, 92141 Clamart Cedex, France; and §Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, CTS Jean Julliard, BP 410, 92141 Clamart Cedex, France.
Estimating radiation doses to hands after accidents is challenging. A new method using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy on fingernails provides a more comprehensive dose assessment for accident victims.
Area of Science:
- Radiological protection
- Dosimetry
- Biophysics
Background:
- Localized irradiation to hands presents significant challenges for accurate dose distribution estimation.
- Traditional methods, like bone biopsy analysis using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, offered limited spatial dose information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel dosimetry method for localized hand irradiation using fingernails.
- To overcome the limitations of previous techniques in assessing heterogeneous radiation doses.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to detect stable, radiation-induced free radicals (FRs) in fingernail samples.
- Developing a protocol for dose assessment based on EPR analysis of fingernails, accounting for intrinsic and mechanical stress-induced signals.
- Applying the developed protocol to fingernail samples from victims of three radiological accidents.
Main Results:
- Identified stable, radiation-induced free radicals in fingernails, overcoming previous issues with signal instability and humidity sensitivity.
- Successfully applied a new EPR-based protocol to assess radiation doses in victims of real-world radiological accidents.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of using fingernails as a dosimeter for localized, heterogeneous radiation exposure.
Conclusions:
- Fingernail dosimetry using EPR offers a viable and improved method for assessing radiation doses in accidental exposure scenarios.
- This technique provides more comprehensive dose information compared to traditional bone biopsy analysis.
- The developed protocol has practical applications in radiological accident response and victim management.
