Trends in biological dosimetry: an overview

Biological dosimetry (bio dosimetry) is based on investigations of induced biological effects (bio markers) in order to correlate them with radiation dose. Among the indicators employed in bio dosimetry, scoring of chromosome aberrations is the most reliable method to quantify individual exposure to ionizing radiation. The technique, applied to circulating lymphocytes, has been developed into a routine procedure to evaluate the dose in the case of real or suspected accidental exposure. Considering the radiosensitivity of lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo as being the same, the dose effect relationship obtained after in vitro irradiation of blood has been widely used, with medico-legal value, for evaluating individual radiation exposure. This report presents and overview of strengths, limitations and perspectives on bio dosimetry. (author)