Radiation Cytogenetics
Radiation cytogenetics describes the interactions between ionising radiation and chromosomes. This includes the spectra of abnormal chromosomes formed after the exposure to different doses and types of ionising radiation. It also uses the individual abnormal chromosomes to make estimates of the dose received.
It is helpful for understanding these lay summaries to first read the Basic Information on Ionising Radiation, Cellular Effects and Dosimetry.
Select a journal article below to read the lay summary.
This lay summary describes how abnormal chromosomes have been used to assess whether different groups of people including French military veterans have been exposed to ionising radiation and if appropriate make estimates of doses. Click here to read lay summary.
Full article: Gregoire, E, Roy, L, Buard, V, Delbos, M, Durand, V, Martin-Bodiot, C, Voisin, P, Sorokine-Durm, I, Vaurijoux, A, Voisin, P, Baldeyron, C and Barquinero, J.F. (2018) Twenty Years of FISH-Based Translocation Analysis for Retrospective Ionising Radiation Biodosimetry, International Journal of Radiation Biology, 94 (3), pp. 248-258.
This lay summary describes how abnormal chromosomes have been used to support evidence that American military veterans were exposed to ionising radiation and gives average dose estimates similar to prior film badge data. Click here to read the lay summary.
Full article: McKenna, M.J., Robinson, E., Taylor, L., Tompkins, C., Cornforth, M.N., Simon, S.L. and Bailey, S.M. (2019) Chromosome Translocations, Inversions and Telomere Length for Retrospective Biodosimetry on Exposed U.S. Atomic Veterans, Radiation Research, 191 (4), pp. 311-322
This lay summary describes how abnormal chromosomes have been used to assess whether New Zealand test veterans have been exposed to ionising radiation. Click here to read lay summary.
Full article: Wahab, M.A., Nickless, E.M., Najar-M’Kachar, R., Parmentier, C., Podd, J.V. and Rowland, R.E. (2008) Elevated Chromosome Translocation Frequencies in New Zealand Nuclear Test Veterans, Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 121, pp. 79-87.