Doses in radiation accidents investigated by chromosome aberration analysis XV: A review of cases investigated, 1984

The results of cytogenetic investigations during 1984 into 24 cases of suspected overexposure to radiation are reviewed. Of these, 12 were associated with industrial radiography, six with one or other of the major nuclear organisations and six with an institution of research, education or health. There were seven cases which concerned possibly protracted and intermittent exposure of unmonitored persons who were not radiation workers. No biological indication of overexposure was found for 21 cases and in the remaining three the levels of chromosome damage indicated that the doses were low. The chromosome data are compared, where possible, with information obtained from physical dosimetry and in Appendix A a brief summary is given of the circumstances of each case. In Appendix B, statistical problems concerning the method to be used for specifying confidence limits on dose estimates when the background incidence of aberrations is taken into account are presented and discussed. (author)