BOOSTER: Development of a Toolbox for<newline/> Triage of Large Groups of Individuals <newline/>Exposed to Radioactive Material

Reflections on the future developments of research in retrospective physical dosimetry

“…This drew attention to the need for assays suitable for such events [5]. RD can offer support in three phases [32]: initial dose estimation for dosimetric triage (phase I), to identify individuals with doses above the threshold for acute radiation syndrome (ARS), i.e., about 1 Gy [33]; dose assessment (phase II) for the purpose of medical management of individuals identified as irradiated during phase I; and a retrospective dose assessment (Phase III) for the psychological reassurance of individuals, especially potentially vulnerable groups (children, pregnant women, or affected people), who had been identified in previous phases as unexposed or receiving low exposures. This was followed by a change in research funding, as also mentioned in Ref.…”

“…Consequently, each combination of a technique and material, which we will call an assay, may be suitable for a certain scenario, but not for another. The most appropriate way to look at RD then is as a toolbox [32] from which to take the right tool (assay) when needed, depending sometimes simply on the availability of samples. A single method is usually not sufficient to provide the necessary information, and a multi-assay approach combining the available methods has shown its strength in many complex cases, as will be described below.…”

“…The first agreement on this multi-assay approach is found in the consensus paper by Ref. [40]; followed by reports from several projects [8,9,32]. The need to harmonize the results of different assays and laboratories has prompted the creation of networks.…”

Erratum: A comprehensive experimental characterization of the iPIX gamma imager

“…In-situ localization of radiation emitting objects or hotspots is of prime concern during decommissioning and clean-up activities of nuclear facilities at the end of their life-cycle. It is also of great importance in homeland security for detecting illicit traffic of nuclear materials as well as in crisis managements of radiological emergency situations for recovering orphan or lost radioactive sources on the one side, and for delimiting suspicious radiological contaminated areas after an accident event or malevolent act on the other side [1][2][3]. Gamma imaging technique, applied for the first time by Anger in 1952 as a human body tomographic scanner to detect early stage tumours [4], provides an optimal solution to track Xor γ-ray emitting objects from greater distances than conventional rate meters, thus significantly reducing the radiation dose received by operators in line with the well-known ALARA principle.…”

“…The coded-aperture technique has played a crucial role in astronomy to help resolving the origin of γ-ray bursts from distant galaxies [11] and can be used under a mask/anti-mask mode [12] to reduce the background noise interference without the need of heavy radiation shielding. This allows for an ultra-portable (2.35 kg) and compact (9 × 9 × 18.8 cm 3 ) device, which is remotely controlled (via a single Ethernet cable up to 80 meters long) by means of an easy-to-use, fully ergonomic, and highly intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI). The latter when launched is systematically configured and, with only one click, a new acquisition can be started.…”