Review and evaluation of updated research on the health effects associated with low-dose ionising radiation.
While radiation health risks at low doses have traditionally been estimated from high-dose studies, we have reviewed recent literature and concluded that the mechanisms of action for many biological endpoints may be different at low doses from those observed at high doses; that acute doses <100 mSv may be too small to allow epidemiological detection of excess cancers given the background of naturally occurring cancers; that low-dose radiation research should use holistic approaches such as systems-based methods to develop models that define the shape of the dose-response relationship; and that these results should be combined with the latest epidemiology to produce a comprehensive understanding of radiation effects that addresses both damage, likely with a linear effect, and response, possibly with non-linear consequences. Continued research is needed to understand how radiobiology and epidemiology advances should be used to effectively model radiation worker risks.
Dauer
Lawrence T
LT
Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. dauerl@mskcc.org
Brooks
Antone L
AL
Hoel
David G
DG
Morgan
William F
WF
Stram
Daniel
D
Tran
Phung
P
D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing