Chromosome aberration analysis as a dosimetric technique in radiological protection

This paper is a review of the work of the Cytogenetics Laboratory of the National Radiological Protection Board during the last 4 yr. A brief account of the culture and scoring techniques is given. Calibration curves have been obtained for fission neutrons, X-rays and⁶⁰Co gamma rays. These have been used to estimate equivalent whole body dose from blood samples taken from 67 cases of known or suspected over-exposure investigated in the laboratory. Studies have been carried out on groups of radiation workers and radiotherapy patients. Data from some patients treated with colloidal¹⁹⁸Au provide an example of how the study of the distribution of dicentrics among cells can give useful information about partial body irradiation.