title: Uncertainty of fast biological radiation dose assessment for emergency response scenarios.
abstract: Reliable dose estimation is an important factor in appropriate dosimetric triage categorization of exposed individuals to support radiation emergency response.
  
  
  
  Following work done under the EU FP7 MULTIBIODOSE and RENEB projects, formal methods for defining uncertainties on biological dose estimates are compared using simulated and real data from recent exercises.
  
  
  
  The results demonstrate that a Bayesian method of uncertainty assessment is the most appropriate, even in the absence of detailed prior information. The relative accuracy and relevance of techniques for calculating uncertainty and combining assay results to produce single dose and uncertainty estimates is further discussed.
  
  
  
  Finally, it is demonstrated that whatever uncertainty estimation method is employed, ignoring the uncertainty on fast dose assessments can have an important impact on rapid biodosimetric categorization.
authors: a Public Health England Centre for Radiation , Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE) , Chilton , UK.
authors: Elizabeth A
authors: EA
authors: Ainsbury
authors: a Public Health England Centre for Radiation , Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE) , Chilton , UK.|b Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Higueras
authors: b Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Puig
authors: c Department of Mathematical Sciences , Durham University , Durham , UK.
authors: Jochen
authors: J
authors: Einbeck
authors: d Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) , Munich , Germany.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Samaga
authors: b Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors: Joan Francesc
authors: JF
authors: Barquinero
authors: b Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors: Lleonard
authors: L
authors: Barrios
authors: e Stockholm University , Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Department of Molecular Bioscience, The Wenner-Gren Institute , Stockholm , Sweden.|f University of Warsaw , Faculty of Physics, Department of Biomedical Physics , Warsaw , Poland.
authors: Beata
authors: B
authors: Brzozowska
authors: g Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) , Rome , Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Fattibene
authors: h Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN) , Paris , France.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Gregoire
authors: i Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA) , Østerås , Norway.
authors: Alicja
authors: A
authors: Jaworska
authors: a Public Health England Centre for Radiation , Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE) , Chilton , UK.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Lloyd
authors: d Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) , Munich , Germany.
authors: Ursula
authors: U
authors: Oestreicher
authors: d Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) , Munich , Germany.
authors: Horst
authors: H
authors: Romm
authors: a Public Health England Centre for Radiation , Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE) , Chilton , UK.|j University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Rothkamm
authors: h Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN) , Paris , France.
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Roy
authors: k Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (ICHTJ) , Warsaw , Poland.
authors: Sylwester
authors: S
authors: Sommer
authors: l National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos , Athens , Greece.
authors: Georgia
authors: G
authors: Terzoudi
authors: m Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors: Hubert
authors: H
authors: Thierens
authors: h Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN) , Paris , France.
authors: Francois
authors: F
authors: Trompier
authors: m Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Vral
authors: n Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU) , Neuherberg , Germany.
authors: Clemens
authors: C
authors: Woda
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Biodosimetry; radiation; retrospective dosimetry; triage screening; uncertainty