Lifetime attributable risks from external and internal exposure to radiation: method for estimating

The article presents the method for estimating lifetime attributable risk from external and internal exposure to radiation with account of the sex and age of an exposed person. The method was developed to adhere to the principle of socially acceptable risk. By the Russian radiation safety standards the acceptable individual lifetime risk in the population and workers from planned exposure to radiation should not exceed 5´10-5 and 1´10-3 respectively; limits and constraints were standardized using ICRP nominal risk coefficients, calculated for a composite population. However, these coefficients cannot be used for making prediction of effects of radiological events on a real population. To justify radiation dose limits, established in valid Russian safety standards, ICRP models, described in the Publication 103, were used. Therefore, it is reasonable to use the models recommended by ICRP for estimating radiation risks in the Russian population. The presented method for estimating lifetime attributable risk developed in accordance with international recommendations is the scientific support to the principle of socially acceptable radiation risk in the Russian population. Calculated risk assessments are used for predicting radiation effects on human health as a result of planned, existing and emergency exposure. The method can be useful tool for radiological protection and radiation hygiene experts, referring medical practitioners and radiologists, medical physicists and radiobiologists.