A RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF THE DOSIMETRY EMPLOYED IN AN INTERNATIONAL COMBINED EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY

Historical methods and practices for measuring and recording radiation dose were critically reviewed in order to evaluate the comparability of recorded dose in a combined epidemiological study of cancer risk am ong nuclear industry workers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The study, co coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, was undertaken to estimate directly the carcinoge nic risk following protracted exposure to low levels of radiation. The approach used and the results of the dosimetry evaluation are describ ed. Overall, recorded dose estimates were judged to be comparable acro ss facilities and time for the majority of workers who were exposed pr edominantly to higher energy (100 keV or more) photons.