Biodose Tools: an R shiny application for biological dosimetry

Abstract

Introduction

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).

Materials and methods

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.

Results

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.

Conclusion

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.

Keywords:

• Biodose Tools
• R
• biodosimetry
• dose assessment
• data analysis
• graphical user interface

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all members of the RENEB association who helped in the design and testing of the package and Shiny app. We would also like to thank everyone outside of the Biodose Tools team who helped providing subtitles for our video tutorials on YouTube, in particular Tomisato Miura from Hirosaki University, who helped with the Japanese subtitles, and Tai-I Chen, who helped with the Chinese (Simplified) and Chinese (Traditional) subtitles.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was done with support from a grant from the Spanish government [ref. PCIN-2017-077] and a grant from the Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear Español [BOE-A-2019-311].

Notes on contributors

Alfredo Hernández

Alfredo Hernández, MSc, Physicist and Data Scientist, Independent Researcher, Norwich, UK.

David Endesfelder

David Endesfelder, Ph.D., Biomathematician, Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Unit: Biological Dosimetry,Oberschleissheim, Germany

Jochen Einbeck

Jochen Einbeck, Ph.D., Associate Professor for Statistics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University and Co-Director (Health Data Science) in the Durham Research Methods Center, Durham, UK.

Pedro Puig

Pedro Puig, Ph.D., Mathematician, Professor at the Department of Mathematics and member of the Center de Recerca Matemàtica, Faculty of Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallés), Catalonia, Spain.

Mohamed Amine Benadjaoud

Mohamed Amine Benadjaoud, Ph.D, Biomathematician at the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Radiobiology of Accidental Exposure Laboratory (LRAcc), Fontenay aux Roses, France.

Manuel Higueras

Manuel Higueras, Ph.D., is an associate professor within the Mathematics and Computation Department at the La Rioja University. La Rioja, Spain.

Elizabeth Ainsbury

Elizabeth A. Ainsbury, Ph.D., MInstP MSRP CSci, Principal Radiation Protection Scientist and Cytogenetics Group Leader, UK Health Security (UKHSA), UK.

Gaëtan Gruel

Gaetan Gruel, Ph.D., Researcher and Head of the Laboratory, Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Radiobiology of Accidental Exposure Laboratory (LRAcc), Fontenay aux Roses, France.

Ursula Oestreicher

Ursula Oestreicher, Diploma in Biology, Biologist and head of the Unit: Biological Dosimetry, Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS),Unit: Biological Dosimetry, Oberschleissheim, Germany

Leonardo Barrios

Leonardo Barrios, Ph.D., Biologist, currently retired, former Professor at the Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain.

Joan Francesc Barquinero

Joan-Francesc Barquinero, Ph.D., Biologist, Associate Professor at the Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain.