Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2021. Vol. 66. № 6. P. 5–9

Medical Radiological Consequences after 35 Years after the Accident at the Chernobyl NPP

L.A. Ilyin², V.C. Ivanov¹, I.I. Linge³, V.V. Kashcheev¹, O.A. Kochetkov², A.R. Tukov², I.L. Shafransky²

¹A.F. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre, Obninsk, Russia

²A.I. Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center, Moscow, Russia

³Nuclear Safety Institute, Moscow, Russia

Contact person: Tukov Aleksandr Romanovich: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

ABSTRACT

Purpose: In an article prepared on the basis of the conclusion of the Russian Scientific Commission on Radiological Protection (RSCRP) at the Department of Medical Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Assessment of the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident after 35 years according to the National Radiation and Epidemiological Register" (NRER), the main conclusions of the large-scale radiation-epidemiological studies carried out.

Material and methods: The work uses information NRER – liquidators of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident and the Branch Register of FMBA of Russia – liquidators. When assessing the excess relative risk of malignant neoplasms, the EPICURE.

Results: The current status of the National Radiation and Epidemiological Register, which is currently functioning within the framework of the Law of the Russian Federation of 30.12.2012 No. 329-FZ “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in terms of ensuring that changes in the health status of certain categories of citizens are taken into account exposed to radiation". For the first time in an integral form, the article presents the medical radiological consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant for the population of Russia. It was found that an increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer due to incorporated exposure to 131I was found in a cohort of children and adolescents (28 856 people) who received radiation doses of more than 200 mGy in 1986. There was no increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer among the adult population. Analysis of the incidence of solid cancers in the territories of the Bryansk, Kaluga, Tula and Oryol regions contaminated with radionuclides did not reveal an increase in the frequency of this pathology for children and adults. It is shown that in the cohort of liquidators of the Chernobyl accident, who received radiation doses of more than 150 mGy (35 303 people), an increase in the incidence of leukemia during the first 11 years after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and solid cancers was revealed in comparison with the spontaneous level.

Conclusions: The article points out serious limitations associated with a high degree of uncertainty in the received personal dosimetric data on liquidators in 1986–1987. and the need to use the total dose from all types of radiation (professional, emergency, medical, natural) to calculate the radiation risk. RSCRP emphasizes the high urgency of continuing work on reducing the uncertainty of dosimetry data and assessing the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident based on a comprehensive analysis of the NRER data.

Key words: Russian Scientific Commission on Radiological Protection, National Radiation and Epidemiological Register, Chernobyl Accident, medical radiological consequences, RADRUE technology, total radiation dose, medical and social rehabilitation

For citation: Ilyin LA, Ivanov VK, Linge II, Kashcheev VV, Kochetkov OA, Tukov AR, Shafransky IL. Medical Radiological Consequences 35 years after the Chernobyl Accident.  Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2021;66(6):5-9.

DOI: 10.12737/1024-6177-2021-66-6-5-9

References

1. On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation to Ensure that the Changes in the Health Status of Certain Categories of Citizens Exposed to Radiation Are Taken into Account. Federal Law of 30.12.2012 No. 329-FZ. https://www.consultant.ru. (In Russian.).

2. 35 Years of the Chernobyl Accident. Results and Prospects of Overcoming its Consequences In Russiania. 1986–2021. Russian National Report. Ed. Bolshov L.A. Moscow, Akadem-Print Publ., 2021. 104 p. (In Russian.).

3. Ivanov V.K., Maksyutov M.A., Tumanov K.A., Kochergina E.V., et al. 35-Year Experience of NRER Functioning as a State Information System for Monitoring the Radiological Consequences of the Chernobyl Disaster. Radiation and Risk. 2021;30;1:7–39. (In Russian.).

4. Ivanov V.K., Kashcheyev V.V., Chekin S.Yu., Maksyutov M.A., et al. Assessment of Radiation Risks of Malignant Neoplasms among the Population of Russian Regions Contaminated with Radionuclides as a Result of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Radiation and Risk. 2021;30;1:131–146. (In Russian.).

5. Kryuchkov V.P. Radiation and Dosimetric Aspects of Liquidation of the Consequences of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Moscow, IzdAT Publ., 2011. 252 p. (In Russian.).

6. Ilyin L.A., Kryuchkov V.P., Osanov D.P., Pavlov D.A. Exposure Levels of the Participants in the Liquidation of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident in 1986-1987. and Verification of Dosimetry Data. Radiation Biology. Radioecology 1995;35;6:803-828. (In Russian.).

7. Ilyichev S.V., Kochetkov O.A., Kryuchkov V.P., Mazurik V.K., Nosovskiy A.V., Pavlov D.A., et al. Retrospective Dosimetry of Participants in the Liquidation of the Consequences of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Ed. Kryuchkova V.P., Nosovskiy A.V. Kiev, Seda-Stil Publ., 1996. 234 p. (In Russian.).

8. Standards of Radiation Safety (NRB-99): Hygienic Standards. Moscow Publ., 1999. 116 p. (In Russian.).

9. On the Radiation Safety of the Population. Federal Law of January 9, 1996 N 3-FZ. http://base.garant.ru/10108778/. (In Russian.).

10. Ilyin L.A. Realities and Myths of Chernobyl. Moscow, ALARA Limited Publ., 1994, 448 p. (In Russian.).

11. Ilyin L.A. Realities and Myths of Chernobyl. Ed. 2-e. Moscow, ALARA Limited Publ., 1996.494 p. (In Russian.).

12. Tukov A.R., Shafranskiy I.L., Biryukov A.P., Fomin A.A. Comparative Analysis of the Risk in the Radiation-Epidemiological Study of Persons Who Took Part in the Elimination of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident, Using Various Types of Radiation. Honey. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2015;60;6:27–33 (In Russian.).

13. Tukov A.R., Biryukov A.P., Shafranskiy I.L. Is Radiation Safety Safe? Radiation and Risk. 2018;27;2:7–19 (In Russian.).

14. Tukov A.R., Biryukov A.P., Shafranskiy I.L., Prokhorova O.N. Radiation Safety Assessment Requires Correct Epidemiological Data. Nuclear and Radiation Safety. 2019;4:22–28. (In Russian.).

 PDF (RUS) Full-text article (in Russian)

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Financing. The study had no sponsorship.

Contribution. Article was prepared with equal participation of the authors.

Article received: 10.08.2021 

Accepted for publication: 21.09.2021.