title: Laboratory intercomparison of the dicentric chromosome analysis assay.
abstract: The study design and obtained results represent an intercomparison of various laboratories performing dose assessment using the dicentric chromosome analysis (DCA) as a diagnostic triage tool for individual radiation dose assessment. Homogenously X-irradiated (240 kVp, 1 Gy/min) blood samples for establishing calibration data (0.25-5 Gy) as well as blind samples (0.1-6.4 Gy) were sent to the participants. DCA was performed according to established protocols. The time taken to report dose estimates was documented for each laboratory. Additional information concerning laboratory organization/characteristics as well as assay performance was collected. The mean absolute difference (MAD) was calculated and radiation doses were merged into four triage categories reflecting clinical aspects to calculate accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. The earliest report time was 2.4 days after sample arrival. DCA dose estimates were reported with high and comparable accuracy, with MAD values ranging between 0.16-0.5 Gy for both manual and automated scoring. No significant differences were found for dose estimates based either on 20, 30, 40 or 50 cells, suggesting that the scored number of cells can be reduced from 50 to 20 without loss of precision of triage dose estimates, at least for homogenous exposure scenarios. Triage categories of clinical significance could be discriminated efficiently using both scoring procedures.
authors.affiliation: Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Bavaria, 80937, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beinke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boulay-Greene
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Amicis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Sanctis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herodin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kulka
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lista
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martigne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moquet
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Oestreicher
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Romm
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rothkamm
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meineke
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Braselmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abend
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001331:Automation; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D002138:Calibration; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005373:Film Dosimetry; D006801:Humans; D059021:Laboratory Proficiency Testing; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods