Practical applications of cytogenetic biodosimetry in radiological emergencies

The Fukushima nuclear disaster caused by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 is believed to be the worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. The Korean government is providing support to Japan and is also trying to protect the people from the hazards of ionizing radiation. To this end, Korean rescuers have been dispatched to the disaster-struck areas to assist in the relief operations. Our institution, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center (NREMC), has been providing medical services to the people returning from the contaminated areas of Japan. The NREMC performs various medical activities in cases of radiological emergencies, including assessment of the absorbed dose in cases of suspected irradiation. Although physical dosimetry, like a personal badge, is routinely used in pre-arranged works in the contaminated areas, most people who were examined in Fukushima did not carry any type of physical dosimeters. Thus, the main issue was to determine whether these people were overexposed to radiation. Cytogenetic biodosimetry is one of the methods that can be used to retrospectively assess the irradiated dose. However, the indications for this approach need to be understood adequately and the results must be interpreted carefully. As a neighboring country, we were highly impacted by the nuclear crisis. However, we can learn from such disasters and prepare ourselves to face such crises in the future. I hope that this article helps people understand the usefulness and limitations of cytogenetic biodosimetry in radiological emergencies.