Dartmouth Device Tests for Radiation Exposure in Tooth Enamel

In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the resulting possible risks of a nuclear reactor meltdown, both Japanese and Americans are worried about radiation exposure from the fallout. Harold Swartz, a professor of medicine and radiology at Dartmouth, has developed a device that could quickly and accurately test people for radiation exposure.
The device, called an electron paramagnetic resonance dosimeter, checks radiation levels in tooth enamel. Enamel is a good indicator because the change in tooth enamel caused by radiation doesn’t much vary over time. Thus, measurements can be made at any time after radiation exposure.
Swartz has been researching the technology since the 1960’s, but it wasn’t until after the events of September 11 and the resulting fears of terrorism did his research accelerate and his device become more relevant. The dosimeter is still in the research stage, and engineers hope to make newer versions of the device smaller, automated, and capable of measuring radiation levels in fingernails and toenails. However, a copy of the older, larger dosimeter is already in Japan.
Coverage from WMUR-New Hampshire: Dartmouth Device Could Help Test For Radiation Exposure…
More information from the EPR Center for the Study of Viable Systems at Dartmouth Medical School…