title: Evolution of the Health Canada astronaut biodosimetry program with a view toward international harmonization.
abstract: Biodosimetry of astronaut lymphocyte samples, taken prior to- and post-flight, provides an important in vivo measurement of radiation-induced damage incurred during space flight which can be included in the medical records of the astronauts. Health Canada has been developing their astronaut biodosimetry program since 2007 and since then has analyzed data from 7 astronauts. While multiple cytogenetic endpoints may be analyzed for the astronauts, the Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assay is considered to be key for detecting long-lasting stable damage. It is believed that this long-lasting damage is most likely to lead to an increased risk to the health of the astronauts during long-term flights (lasting 6 months or more). The complexity of damage that results from protracted, non-homogeneous radiation exposure, like that found in the space environment, requires a detailed scoring schematic to capture as much information as possible. To that end, this paper outlines the efforts to harmonize the manner in which Health Canada's FISH data are recorded to better facilitate the comparison of results with other international biodosimetry programs.
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road K1A 1C1, Postal Locator 6303B, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: Lindsay.Beaton@hc-sc.gc.ca.
authors.forename: Lindsay A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Beaton-Green
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road K1A 1C1, Postal Locator 6303B, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lachapelle
authors.affiliation: European Space Agency, ESA, European Astronaut Center, EAC, Crew Medical Support Office & Astronaut Division, PO Box 906090, 51127 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Straube
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road K1A 1C1, Postal Locator 6303B, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Ruth C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wilkins
mesh_terms: D018480:Astronauts; D002170:Canada; D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D007391:International Cooperation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Astronauts; Biodosimetry; Chromosome damage; Cytogenetics; Fluorescent in situ hybridization