Chromosome aberrations induced in human lymphocytes after partial-body irradiation

Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from two patients before and after they received one fraction of partial-body irradiation for palliative treatment were analyzed. Blood samples were taken 30 min and 24 h after radiation treatment. The yield of dicentrics obtained from case A 30 min after a partial-body (about 21%) treatment with 8 Gy was 0.066/cell, while the yield obtained 24 h after radiation treatment was 0.071/cell. The fraction of irradiated lymphocytes that reached metaphase at 52 h was 0.08 as evaluated by mixing cultures of in vitro irradiated and unirradiated blood. The yield of dicentrics for blood from case B 30 min after 6 Gy partial-body (about 24%) irradiation was 0.655/cell, while the yield 24 h after irradiation was 0.605/cell. The fraction of irradiated cells was 0.29. Estimation of doses and irradiated fractions for the two cases using the method proposed by Dolphin and the Qdr method is discussed. Although there was no significant difference between the mean yields of dicentrics per cell obtained 30 min and 24 h after radiation treatment, the data obtained at 24 h seemed more useful for the purpose of dose estimation. When a higher dose (8 Gy) was delivered to a smaller percentage of the body, underestimation of the dose was encountered.