Monitoring of human exposure to radiation with the binucleated lymphocyte micronucleus assay.

The micronuclei (MN) of peripheral blood lymphocytes from radiation-exposed people were monitored with the binucleated lymphocyte micronucleus assay (CBMN). MN rates in people with radiation-disease, radiation exposed and a control group were 12.57/1000, 4.20/1000 and 3.26/1000, respectively. The MN rate of patients with radiation-disease was significantly higher than those of other groups (P < 0.01). The difference between the radiation-exposed group and control group was not significant (P > 0.05). Meanwhile, chromosome aberrations (CA) of 3 groups were determined. The results were similar to those seen while the MN assay. CA rates were 2.06%, 0.93% and 0.69%, respectively. CA rate of the radiation-disease group was significantly higher than that of other groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The difference between the radiation-exposed group and the control group was not significant (P > 0.05). The study indicates that the CBMN assay is a rapid, sensitive and accurate method which can be used to monitor a large population exposed to radiation.