Archival records housed at USTUR support radium dial worker dosimetry

Journal Article · 16 June 2025 · Journal of Radiological Protection

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ad8bcf · OSTI ID:3002159

Martinez, Nicole E.  ^[1]; Jokisch, Derek W.  ^[2]; Mumma, Michael T.  ^[3]; Tolmachev, Sergey Y.  ^[4]; Avtandilashvili, Maia  ^[4]; Tabatadze, George  ^[4]; Leggett, Richard Wayne  ^[5]; Samuels, Caleigh  ^[5]; Golden, Ashley P.  ^[6]; Howard, Sara C.  ^[6]; Dauer, Lawrence T.  ^[7]; Boice, Jr., John D.  ^[8]

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1. Clemson Univ., SC (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Francis Marion Univ., Florence, SC (United States)
3. International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, MD (United States)
4. Washington State Univ., Richland, WA (United States)
5. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
6. Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
7. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States). Sloan Kettering Institute
8. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Inc., Bethesda, MD (United States); Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)

The American radium dial worker (RDW) cohort of over 3200 persons is being revisited as part of the Million Person Study (MPS) to include a modern approach to RDW dosimetry. An exceptional source of data and contextualization in this project is an extensive collection of electronic records (digitized from existing microfilm and microfiche) housed at the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR). Although the type, extent, and quality (e.g. legibility) of record(s) varies between individuals, the remarkable occupational, medical and demographic data include in vivo radiation measurements (e.g. radon breath, whole body counts), autopsy results, medical records (including copies of radiographs), interviews over the years, and correspondence. Of particular dosimetric interest are the details of radiation measurements. For example, there are some instances where hand-written and transcribed values are both available, along with notes providing context for why a particular measurement in a series of measurements was chosen to assign an intake, or if there were concerns about a particular measurement. Born prior to 1935, RDW have nearly all passed away. Thus, the updated dosimetry, especially for the skeletal tissues, will allow the correlation of lifetime cumulative dose with radiation risk. Here we review typical information available in this collection of historical records and highlight some interesting finds. Additionally, we discuss the relevance to current and ongoing work related to updating the dosimetry of the RDW in the MPS, including providing an example of the usefulness of information contained in these records. The RDW cohort provides a unique historical perspective on occupational exposure to radium, making it a valuable dataset for understanding long-term health effects and improving current radiation protection standards.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (AU); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725; AU0000042; AU0000046; HS0000073
• OSTI ID: 3002159
• Journal Information: Journal of Radiological Protection, Journal Name: Journal of Radiological Protection Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 45; ISSN 0952-4746; ISSN 1361-6498
• Publisher: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English