The harmonization process to set up and maintain an operational biological and physical retrospective dosimetry network: QA QM applied to the RENEB network.
The European Network of Biological and Physical Retrospective Dosimetry 'RENEB' has contributed to European radiation emergency preparedness. To give homogeneous dose estimation results, RENEB partners must harmonize their processes.



A first inter-comparison focused on biological and physical dosimetry was used to detect the outliers in terms of dose estimation. Subsequently, trainings were organized to improve both tools dose estimation. A second inter-comparison was performed to validate training efficiency. Simultaneously, based on ISO standards, a QA&QM manual on all dosimetry assays was produced which states a common basis and harmonized procedures for each assay. The evaluation of the agreement of RENEB partners to follow the QA&QM manual was performed through a questionnaire. The integration of new members into the network was carried out in the same way, whatever the assays.



The training courses on biological and physical dosimetry were judged to be successful because most of the RENEB members' dose estimates improved in the second inter-comparison. The QA&QM manual describes the consensus for the minimum requirements and the performance criteria for both dosimetry assays. The questionnaire revealed that the whole network capacity currently can manage between 15 and 3800 samples once.



The methodology used to harmonize all dosimetry practice within the network RENEB was highly successful. The network is operational to manage a mass casualty radiation accident for immediate dose assessment.
a Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire , Fontenay-Aux-Roses , France.
Eric
E
Gregoire
b Public Health England, CRCE, Chilton , Didcot, Oxon , UK.
Liz
L
Ainsbury
c Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
Leonardo
L
Barrios
a Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire , Fontenay-Aux-Roses , France.
Céline
C
Bassinet
d Istituto Superiore di Sanità , Rome , Italy.
Paola
P
Fattibene
e Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz , Department Radiation Protection and Health , Neuherberg , Germany.
Ulrike
U
Kulka
e Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz , Department Radiation Protection and Health , Neuherberg , Germany.
Ursula
U
Oestreicher
f National Centre for Scientific Research 'Demokritos' , Athens , Greece.
Gabriel
G
Pantelias
f National Centre for Scientific Research 'Demokritos' , Athens , Greece.
Georgia
G
Terzoudi
a Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire , Fontenay-Aux-Roses , France.
Francois
F
Trompier
a Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire , Fontenay-Aux-Roses , France.
Philippe
P
Voisin
g Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
Anne
A
Vral
h Vecular Biosciences , Stockholm , Sweden.
Andrzej
A
Wojcik
a Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire , Fontenay-Aux-Roses , France.
Laurence
L
Roy
D001681:Biological Assay / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Training; dose estimation; dosimetry; dosimetry network; harmonization; quality assurance