RENEB/EURADOS field exercise 2019: robust dose estimation under outdoor conditions based on the dicentric chromosome...

Area of Science:

• Radiation biology
• Dosimetry
• Medical physics

Background:

• Biological and physical assays are vital for retrospective dosimetry, aiding in exposure assessment and medical decisions.
• EURADOS Working Group 10 and RENEB collaborate to enhance these dosimetry techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate and improve biological and physical assays for retrospective dosimetry.
• To simulate and assess real-life radiation exposure scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A field exercise was conducted in Lund, Sweden, in 2019.
• The dicentric chromosome assay (DCA) was used with blood samples on anthropomorphic phantoms irradiated by a 192Ir-source.
• Seventeen RENEB laboratories provided dose estimates, with radio-photoluminescence glass dosimeters used for reference doses.

Main Results:

• DCA results showed high homogeneity among participants, closely matching reference doses (within ±0.5 Gy for ≥95% of estimates).
• Systematic underestimation near the source was corrected by considering exposure time.
• Heterogeneity in dose estimates was observed for both reference and DCA methods.

Conclusions:

• Participants successfully estimated radiation doses and provided valuable exposure scenario information.
• The exercise confirmed the utility of DCA and other assays in realistic, challenging conditions.