Dose and dose-rate effects of ionizing radiation: a discussion in the light of radiological protection.
The biological effects on humans of low-dose and low-dose-rate exposures to ionizing radiation have always been of major interest. The most recent concept as suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is to extrapolate existing epidemiological data at high doses and dose rates down to low doses and low dose rates relevant to radiological protection, using the so-called dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF). The present paper summarizes what was presented and discussed by experts from ICRP and Japan at a dedicated workshop on this topic held in May 2015 in Kyoto, Japan. This paper describes the historical development of the DDREF concept in light of emerging scientific evidence on dose and dose-rate effects, summarizes the conclusions recently drawn by a number of international organizations (e.g., BEIR VII, ICRP, SSK, UNSCEAR, and WHO), mentions current scientific efforts to obtain more data on low-dose and low-dose-rate effects at molecular, cellular, animal and human levels, and discusses future options that could be useful to improve and optimize the DDREF concept for the purpose of radiological protection.
Institute of Radiation Protection, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
Werner
W
Rühm
Department of Radiation Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Gayle E
GE
Woloschak
Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City, 732-0815, Japan.
Roy E
RE
Shore
Southern Urals Biophysics Institute (SUBI), Ozyorskoe Shosse 19, Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, Russian Federation, 456780.
Tamara V
TV
Azizova
Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
Bernd
B
Grosche
Fukushima Medical University, Hikarigaoka 1, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
Ohtsura
O
Niwa
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima City, Japan.
Suminori
S
Akiba
Institute for Environmental Sciences, 1-7 Ienomae, Rokkasho, Aomori-ken, 039-3212, Japan.
Tetsuya
T
Ono
Department of Radiation Medical Sciences, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
Keiji
K
Suzuki
Radiation Safety Research Center, Nuclear Technology Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), 2-11-1 Iwado-kita, Tokyo, 201-8511, Japan.
Toshiyasu
T
Iwasaki
Faculty of Nursing, Tokyo Healthcare University, 2-5-1 Higashigaoka, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8558, Japan.
Nobuhiko
N
Ban
Department of Environmental Health Science, Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, 2944-9 Megusuno, Oita, 840-1201, Japan.
Michiaki
M
Kai
International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), PO Box 1046, Station B, 280 Slater Street, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5S9, Canada.
Christopher H
CH
Clement
Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England (PHE), Chilton, Didcot, OX11 ORQ, UK.
Simon
S
Bouffler
JAPAN NUS Co., Ltd. (JANUS), 7-5-25 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan.
Hideki
H
Toma
International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), PO Box 1046, Station B, 280 Slater Street, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5S9, Canada. hamada@icrp.org.
Nobuyuki
N
Hamada
D000818:Animals; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods
DDREF; DREF; ICRP; LDEF; LNT model; Radiation risk