Development of an enhanced operational capacity for a laboratory using triage-mode based biodosimetry

Area of Science:

• Medical Radiation Physics
• Cytogenetics
• Radiation Biology

Background:

• Accurate radiation exposure classification is critical for managing mass casualty radiological events.
• Cytogenetic biodosimetry, specifically the dicentric chromosome assay (DCA), is a reference method for assessing radiation dose.
• Existing methods require optimization for rapid, high-throughput analysis in emergency scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an organizational system for high-throughput cytogenetic biodosimetry in a laboratory setting.
• To enable rapid classification of radiation exposure levels for a large number of potential victims.
• To assess the feasibility and accuracy of a triage-mode dicentric chromosome assay (DCA) for emergency response.

Main Methods:

• A triage-mode dicentric chromosome assay (DCA) system was established with a theoretical capacity for 320 individuals.
• A partial-capacity exercise involved irradiating 120 blood samples with X-rays (0-4.5 Gy).
• Operators analyzed blindly coded samples under strict time limits using specific protocols.

Main Results:

• The system successfully deployed, with pre-planned logistics followed.
• Correct classification rates ranged from 85% to 92%, depending on the radiation exposure grading scale used (3, 4, or 5 classes).
• The exercise demonstrated the system's capability to classify samples within a defined deadline.

Conclusions:

• The developed organizational system for cytogenetic biodosimetry is validated by this partial-capacity exercise.
• The system shows promising results for rapid radiation exposure assessment in mass casualty incidents.
• Further efforts are focused on improving classification accuracy and determining the system's maximum capacity.