Evaluation of a high dose to a finger from a 60Co accident

Abstract

Electron spin resonance and fluorescence in situ hybridization were used to evaluate the dose to the finger of a worker who accidentally touched a radiotherapy 60Co therapy source in November 1995. In September 1999, the middle finger was amputated. We estimated the dose to the bone of the finger to be 6.4 +/- 0.5 Gy using the electron spin resonance additive dose method and a corrected dose of about 20 +/- 3 Gy could be inferred by translocation analysis in peripheral lymphocytes using the fluorescence in situ hybridization method. This retrospective dosimetry was performed for the victim 4 y after the accident, but the compatibility of the results obtained by physical and biological methods reinforce their validity, although in the case of partial-body exposure the biological method has limitations and demonstrates the need to find appropriate correction factors.