Ionizing radiation has been widely used in medical (radiotherapy and diagnostics) and occupational settings, where the effects of exposure to low doses play an important role in consideration of the health effects and biological response to radiation. The health risks of low doses in humans may not be accurately estimated by any current mathematical model because of numerous inherent environmental, dietary, and biological variables that cannot be accounted for in epidemiologic studies. In addition, the expression of radiation–induced damage depends not only on dose, dose rate, linear energy transfer, fractionation, and protraction but also on repair mechanisms, bystander effects, and exposure to chemical and biological mutagens, carcinogens, tumor promoters, toxins, radioprotective substances. Therefore, low doses may not be considered insignificant risks for somatic and heritable mutations and disease (neoplastic and nonneoplastic) in humans. According to a well-established radiobiological concept, no radiation doses can be considered completely safe and all efforts must be made to reduce both the radiation dose and damage, no matter how small.
The aim of this Research Topic is to summarize current achievements in the field of low-dose health effects and biological response research, clarify the role of different approaches, and give an outline and directives for future projects.
The Research Topic will include articles advancing knowledge in the field of low-dose medical research, health effects, genetic toxicology, and occupational medicine. Papers are welcomed in the following areas:
- New developments in genotoxicity testing of low-dose ionizing radiation exposure (e.g. improvements in methodology of assay systems and interpretation of results)
- Biomonitoring and follow-up studies of low doses exposure in occupational and medical settings
- Studies of epigenetic changes in relation to low-dose genotoxic effects
- The measurement of genotoxic effects in human populations, when accompanied by quantitative measurements of environmental or occupational exposures
- Introducing new biological endpoints in health monitoring of exposed populations
Ionizing radiation has been widely used in medical (radiotherapy and diagnostics) and occupational settings, where the effects of exposure to low doses play an important role in consideration of the health effects and biological response to radiation. The health risks of low doses in humans may not be accurately estimated by any current mathematical model because of numerous inherent environmental, dietary, and biological variables that cannot be accounted for in epidemiologic studies. In addition, the expression of radiation–induced damage depends not only on dose, dose rate, linear energy transfer, fractionation, and protraction but also on repair mechanisms, bystander effects, and exposure to chemical and biological mutagens, carcinogens, tumor promoters, toxins, radioprotective substances. Therefore, low doses may not be considered insignificant risks for somatic and heritable mutations and disease (neoplastic and nonneoplastic) in humans. According to a well-established radiobiological concept, no radiation doses can be considered completely safe and all efforts must be made to reduce both the radiation dose and damage, no matter how small.
The aim of this Research Topic is to summarize current achievements in the field of low-dose health effects and biological response research, clarify the role of different approaches, and give an outline and directives for future projects.
The Research Topic will include articles advancing knowledge in the field of low-dose medical research, health effects, genetic toxicology, and occupational medicine. Papers are welcomed in the following areas:
- New developments in genotoxicity testing of low-dose ionizing radiation exposure (e.g. improvements in methodology of assay systems and interpretation of results)
- Biomonitoring and follow-up studies of low doses exposure in occupational and medical settings
- Studies of epigenetic changes in relation to low-dose genotoxic effects
- The measurement of genotoxic effects in human populations, when accompanied by quantitative measurements of environmental or occupational exposures
- Introducing new biological endpoints in health monitoring of exposed populations
