Biodose Tools: an R shiny application for biological dosimetry

In the event of a radiological accident or incident, the aim of biological dosimetry is to convert the yield of a specific biomarker of exposure to ionizing radiation into an absorbed dose. Since the 1980s, various tools have been used to deal with the statistical procedures needed for biological dosimetry, and in general those who made several calculations for different biomarkers were based on closed source software. Here we present a new open source program, Biodose Tools, that has been developed under the umbrella of RENEB (Running the European Network of Biological and retrospective Physical dosimetry). The application has been developed using the R programming language and the shiny package as a framework to create a user-friendly online solution. Since no unique method exists for the different mathematical processes, several meetings and periodic correspondence were held in order to reach a consensus on the solutions to be implemented. The current version 3.6.1 supports dose-effect fitting for dicentric and translocation assay. For dose estimation Biodose Tools implements those methods indicated in international guidelines and a specific method to assess heterogeneous exposures. The app can include information on the irradiation conditions to generate the calibration curve. Also, in the dose estimate, information about the accident can be included as well as the explanation of the results obtained. Because the app allows generating a report in various formats, it allows traceability of each biological dosimetry study carried out. The app has been used globally in different exercises and training, which has made it possible to find errors and improve the app itself. There are some features that still need consensus, such as curve fitting and dose estimation using micronucleus analysis. It is also planned to include a package dedicated to interlaboratory comparisons and the incorporation of Bayesian methods for dose estimation. Biodose Tools provides an open-source solution for biological dosimetry laboratories. The consensus reached helps to harmonize the way in which uncertainties are calculated. In addition, because each laboratory can download and customize the app’s source code, it offers a platform to integrate new features.

在放射性事故或事件发生之际，生物剂量测定的目标在于将特定暴露于电离辐射的生物标志物产量转换为吸收剂量。自20世纪80年代起，诸多工具被用于处理生物剂量测定所需的统计程序，通常，针对不同生物标志物进行多次计算者均基于封闭源软件。本报告呈现一款新型开源程序——Biodose Tools，该程序在RENEB（欧洲生物和回顾性物理剂量测定网络）的庇护下得以开发。该应用程序采用R编程语言及shiny包作为框架构建，旨在提供一用户界面友好的在线解决方案。鉴于不存在适用于不同数学过程的唯一方法，我们召开多次会议并定期进行通信，以期就实施解决方案达成共识。当前版本3.6.1支持双着丝粒和易位实验的剂量-效应拟合。为进行剂量估算，Biodose Tools实现了国际指南中指明的那些方法，并引入了一种评估异质暴露的具体方法。应用可包含关于辐照条件的资料，以生成校准曲线。此外，在剂量估算中，可包含事故信息以及所得结果的解释。由于应用允许以多种格式生成报告，因此它使得每一项生物剂量测定研究均可追溯。该应用已在全球范围内的不同演习和培训中得到应用，这使得发现错误并改进应用本身成为可能。某些特性仍需达成共识，例如曲线拟合和利用微核分析进行剂量估算。此外，计划纳入一个用于实验室间比较的专用包，并引入贝叶斯方法以用于剂量估算。Biodose Tools为生物剂量测定实验室提供了一款开源解决方案。所达成的共识有助于统一不确定性计算的方法。此外，由于每个实验室均可下载并定制应用的源代码，它提供了一个集成新特性的平台。