title: A Deployable In Vivo EPR Tooth Dosimeter for Triage After a Radiation Event Involving Large Populations.
abstract: In order to meet the potential need for emergency large-scale retrospective radiation biodosimetry following an accident or attack, we have developed instrumentation and methodology for in vivo electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify concentrations of radiation-induced radicals within intact teeth. This technique has several very desirable characteristics for triage, including independence from confounding biologic factors, a non-invasive measurement procedure, the capability to make measurements at any time after the event, suitability for use by non-expert operators at the site of an event, and the ability to provide immediate estimates of individual doses. Throughout development there has been a particular focus on the need for a deployable system, including instrumental requirements for transport and field use, the need for high throughput, and use by minimally trained operators.Numerous measurements have been performed using this system in clinical and other non-laboratory settings, including in vivo measurements with unexposed populations as well as patients undergoing radiation therapies. The collection and analyses of sets of three serially-acquired spectra with independent placements of the resonator, in a data collection process lasting approximately five minutes, provides dose estimates with standard errors of prediction of approximately 1 Gy. As an example, measurements were performed on incisor teeth of subjects who had either received no irradiation or 2 Gy total body irradiation for prior bone marrow transplantation; this exercise provided a direct and challenging test of our capability to identify subjects who would be in need of acute medical care.
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth Physically Based Biodosimetry Center for Medical Countermeasures Against Radiation (Dart-Dose CMCR), Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03768 USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Ruhong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ann Barry
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Flood
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grinberg
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kmiec
authors.forename: Piotr N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Lesniewski
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Roberto J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Nicolalde
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raynolds
authors.forename: Ildar K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Salikhov
authors.forename: Harold M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Swartz