SIST EN ISO 13304-1:2023 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 13304-1:2022 (ISO 13304-1:2020) - "Radiological protection - Minimum criteria for electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for retrospective dosimetry of ionizing radiation - Part 1: General principles" - defines the minimum criteria for establishing and reporting retrospective dosimetry by EPR spectroscopy. Its primary aim is to ensure reliable determination of the absorbed dose in measured materials and to facilitate meaningful comparison of dose estimates between laboratories. This European adoption by CEN aligns with the ISO international text.

Key topics and technical requirements

The standard sets out general principles and minimum acceptable criteria across the EPR retrospective dosimetry workflow, including:

• Scope and limitations

  • Covers absorbed dose in the measured material only - does not provide conversion to organ or whole-body dose.
  • Applies to both biological (tooth enamel, nails, bone) and inanimate materials (glass, plastics, clothing, saccharides).

• Sample types and measurement modes

  • Inanimate environmental materials: typically X‑band (8–12 GHz).
  • In vitro tooth enamel and bone: usually X‑band, with higher frequencies under consideration.
  • In vivo tooth dosimetry: typically L‑band (1–2 GHz).
  • In vitro and in vivo nail dosimetry: X‑band for clippings and intact fingers/toes respectively.

• Laboratory and field requirements

  • Safety (magnetic field, electromagnetic exposure, biohazards).
  • Sample collection, identification, transport and storage procedures.
  • Sample preparation and resonator/sample loading practices.

• Instrumentation and measurement

  • Principles of EPR spectrometers and resonator requirements.
  • Optimization of measurement parameters (microwave, magnetic field, signal channels).
  • Background signal measurement, spectrometer stability, baseline drift control.
  • Use of standard samples/field markers, reproducibility monitoring and coding of spectra.

• Data handling and quality

  • Determination of radiation-induced signal intensity and conversion to absorbed dose.
  • Measurement uncertainty estimation.
  • Investigation procedures for questioned doses.
  • Quality assurance (QA) / Quality control (QC) and minimum documentation requirements for traceability and inter-laboratory comparability.

Applications and users

EN ISO 13304-1 is intended for professionals and organizations involved in:

• Radiation protection and emergency response (triage after radiological incidents)
• EPR diagnostics laboratories and dosimetry service providers
• Forensic radiology and public health dose reconstruction
• Research institutions developing retrospective dosimetry methods
• Regulatory bodies and accreditation assessors

Using this standard helps ensure consistent, comparable EPR-based absorbed dose estimates across laboratories, improving the reliability of retrospective dose reconstruction and supporting clinical, epidemiological, forensic, and emergency decision-making.

Related standards

• ISO 13304 series (see ISO 13304-2 referenced informatively in the document) for additional technical guidance and complementary parts of the series.