RE: Stable Reciprocal Translocation Blood Test

[Robert Loesch <loesch@list.eh.doe.gov>]

Tore Strome at LLNL has done alot of excellent work on
chromome painting and, if I remember correctly, he can see
down to the range of 20-50 mGy for external exposures.
The technique is also able to evaluate internal exposures to H-3
which he used to evaluate a H-3 over exposure in Switzerland 
several years ago.  Tore also used the technique in Great Britain
to evaluate a claim by a nuclear shipyard worker that his leukemia
was caused by an unmonitored external exposures.  Since his 
leukemia only caused an increase in translocations in specific
chromosomes, he was able to look at unaffected chromosomes and
demonstrate that the workers translocation frequency was the same
as non-radiological workers in the area.

LLNL has applied for a patent that replaces the painting with a
technique that involves tagging specific amino acids with a radionuclide.
Rather than having an individual quantify the frequency of translocations
manually (optically), the process can be automated allowing for the
processing of larger blood samples,and hence better sensitivity, much
faster.

Bob Loesch