Radiation doses to Chernobyl liquidators: cross-verification of official doses used at the National Radiation Epidemiological Registry in accordance with dose values estimated with EPR dosimetry technique
Results of cross-verification of official radiation doses to Chernobyl liquidators used at the National Radiation Epidemiological Registry (NRER) in accordance with dose values estimated with EPR dosimetry technique at A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre (A. Tsyb MRRC) are described in this work. The obtained results demonstrate that doses to liquidators are in the range of low doses (<250mSv), their health effects are still poorly known. The highest difference in dose values, official and EPR estimated (ratio 6.4), is within dose range of 0-50 mSv, the official doses above 50 mSv are in reasonably good agreement with estimated doses (ratio 0.8). The obtained data are very important and should be taken into account when planning further radiation epidemiological studies of the cohort of liquidators. The new technique, EPR dosimtery, is offered for reconstruction of radiation dose to liquidators who do not have official dose records. It will also give the opportunity for increasing statistical power of radiation epidemiological cohort studies and reducing impact of uncertainty factors. The obtained results allow authors to recommend continuation of cross-verification of officially recorded doses to liquidators in accordance with EPR estimated doses.