Radiation detriment calculation methodology: summary of ICRP Publication 152

Abstract

Radiation detriment is a concept to quantify the burden of stochastic effects from exposure of the human population to low-dose and/or low-dose-rate ionising radiation. As part of a thorough review of the system of radiological protection, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has compiled a report on radiation detriment calculation methodology as Publication 152. It provides a historical review of the detriment calculation with details of the procedure used in ICRP Publication 103. A selected sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the parameters and calculation conditions that can be major sources of variation and uncertainty. It has demonstrated that sex, age at exposure, dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF), dose assumption in the lifetime risk calculation, and lethality fraction have a substantial impact on the calculated values of radiation detriment. Discussions are also made on the issues to be addressed and possible ways for improvement toward the revision of general Recommendations. These include update of the reference population data and cancer severity parameters, revision of cancer risk models, and better handling of the variation with sex and age. Finally, emphasis is placed on transparency and traceability of the calculation, along with the need to improve the way of expressing and communicating the detriment.

Noncancer Effects of Ionizing Radiation Exposure on the Eye, the Circulatory System and beyond: Developments made since the 2011 ICRP Statement on Tissue Reactions

“…Effective dose limits (numerical protection dose criteria) aim to reduce risks of stochastic effects to the extent reasonably achievable (ca. 5%/Sv), and are based on radiation detriment (an index to quantify the burden of stochastic effects), assuming a linear-non-threshold (LNT) dose response relationship and a dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF) of 2 for solid cancer (2,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). ICRP has employed the LNT hypothesis since 1966 (7) and a DDREF since 1990 (10,18).…”

Summary of the 2021 ICRP workshop on the future of radiological protection

“…Nobuhiko Ban, Nuclear Regulation Authority, Japan, presented 'Possible Improvements of Methodology for Calculating Radiation Detriment in the Future' . Being part of the work of ICRP Task Group 102, this presentation is discussed in the section dedicated to ICRP task groups (Ban et al 2021).…”

ICRP Publication 153: Radiological Protection in Veterinary Practice

“…It is determined from the lifetime risk of cancer, and considers severity in terms of lethality, quality of life, and years of life lost. It also considers heritable effects based on information from animal studies (ICRP, 2007a; Ban et al., 2022; ICRP, 2022). (38) With respect to exposed animals, a common misconception is that an animal with a shorter life span than a human will not experience radiogenic cancer.…”

“…It is determined from the lifetime risk of cancer, and considers severity in terms of lethality, quality of life, and years of life lost. It also considers heritable effects based on information from animal studies (ICRP, 2007a; Ban et al., 2022; ICRP, 2022).…”

“…(80) Note that there are a variety of inter-relationships between the values in Table 4.1 and other ethical values or principles, and the discussion above is not meant to be exhaustive but rather to provide some additional context for the core and procedural values of the system of radiological protection. For example, transparency is an expression of respect for autonomy, which in turn is strongly related to dignity (ICRP, 2018a; Ban et al., 2022). Solidarity has elements of both justice and inclusiveness, as the co-expertise process involves both fair and genuinely collaborative decision-making (ICRP, 2006).…”