EPR dosimetry teeth in past and future accidents: A prospective look at a retrospective method

Technical Report · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/446328· OSTI ID:446328

Haskell, E; Kenner, G; Hayes, R ^[1]; Chumak, V; Shalom, S ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Center for Applied Dosimetry
2. Scientific Center for Radiation Medicine, Kiev (Ukraine)

Accurate assessments of doses received by individuals exposed to radiation from nuclear accidents and incidents such as those at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Nevada test site, Cheliabinsk and Mayak are required for epidemiological studies seeking to establish relationships between radiation dose and health effects. One method of retrospective dosimetry which allows for measurement of cumulative gamma ray doses received by exposed individuals is electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) of tooth enamel. Tooth enamel stores and retains, indefinitely, information on absorbed radiation dose. And teeth are available in every population as a result of dental extraction for medical reasons including periodontal disease and impacted wisdom teeth. In the case of children, deciduous teeth, which are shed between the ages of 7 and 13, can be a very important dosimetric source if documented collection is implemented shortly following an accident.

• Research Organization: Utah Univ., Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Center for Applied Dosimetry
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FC08-89NV10805
• OSTI ID: 446328
• Report Number(s): DOE/NV/10805--T3; ON: DE97003253
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
GAMMA RADIATION
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
TEETH