AcutDose Code
                                      K.F. Eckerman
                                      March 21, 2006

The AcutDose code computes age-specific absorbed dose coefficients for specified times after inhalation and ingestion intakes of radionuclides. The user can specify the time period over which the absorbed dose rate data is integrated to calculate the dose coefficient. Separate coefficients are derived for low and high LET radiations emitted by the radionuclides. Such coefficients may be used to assess potential early (deterministic) health effects. 

AcutDose uses absorbed dose rate data for inhalation and ingestion intakes of radionuclides that were computed during the preparation of Federal Guidance Report 13(EPA, 1999). These data were archived in the \DOSE folder of the Federal Guidance Report 13 CD Supplement, Revision 1 (EPA 2002). AcutDose calculates absorbed dose coefficients for 29 organs and tissues listed as target regions in Federal Guidance Report 13 (EPA, 1999). The coefficients are reported in Gy/Bq for a unit intake (1 Bq). AcutDose makes no judgements regarding the set of tissues associated with deterministic effects, the relative importance of the low and high LET components of absorbed dose, nor the overall influence of dose and dose rate on the response of the irradiated tissues. EPA's Manual of Protective Action Guides (EPA, 1992) and other source documents should be consulted for such guidance.

The installation procedure, AcuteDose_setup.exe, installs the AcutDose code in the default folder
C:\AcuteDose and places a shortcut (icon) on the desktop. Following installation, the user
must place the absorbed dose rate files FGR13INH.DRT and FGR13ING.DRT for inhalation and 
ingestion intakes, respectively, in the folder C:\AcuteDose\DATA. If you have the FGR 13 CD
(EPA 2002) then you need to extract (unzip) these files from the "inhale.zip" and 
"ingest.zip" archive files within the \DOSE folder of the CD. Only the absorbed dose rate
files (*.DRT) need be extracted. If you do no have the FGR 13 CD then you will need to 
download the files FGR13INH.ZIP and FGR13ING.ZIP from the EPA web site              http://www.epa.gov/radiation/federal/techdocs.htm and unzip the files into the folder C:\AcuteDose\DATA. It would be cleaner if only the FGR13INH.DRT and FGR13ING.DRT files were extracted into C:\AcuteDose\DATA.

(The installation procedure, AcuteDose_setup.exe, does allow the user to install on a drive other than the default 'C:\' drive. The procedure for installation would be the same only the drive letter would be different.)

As mentioned above the user can specify the time period over which the absorbed dose rate data is integrated. The times are specified in the ACUTDOSE.INI file located in the folder C:\AcuteDose\DATA. 
The content of the ACUTDOSE.INI file, as installed, is:

	AcutDose.INI file which defines the upper limit in days (d) of the
	absorbed dose rate integral (limited to 100 values)
	START   <<-----  Delimiter
	1.0
	2.0
	4.0
	30.0
	END     <<-----  Delimiter 
	
This file requests that the absorbed dose be calculated for 4 integration times;
namely, 1, 2, 4 and 30 d. Note that the program is limited to 100 integration times.  

AcutDose prompts the user to select either the ingestion or inhalation data set, the 
age(s) of subjects of interest, and the tissue(s)/organ(s) to be processed. Multiple ages
and tissues can be selected by holding down <Ctrl> and clicking the left mouse button - 
the standard Windows procedure for making multiple selection. The user can also select 'all ages' or 'all tissues' but this leads to rather large files. The output file (separate
files for each age selected) will be written in the folder C:\AcuteDose\OUTPUT. A message
is written to the screen regarding output files.


EPA,1992. Manual of Protective Action Guides and Protective Actions for Nuclear Incidents.
          EPA-400R-92-001, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

EPA,1999. Cancer Risk Coefficients for Environmental Exposure to Radionuclides. Federal 
          Guidance Report No. 13. EPA 402-R-99-001, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
          Washington, DC.
         
EPA,2002. Federal Guidance Report 13 CD Supplement, Rev. 1: Cancer Risk Coefficients for 	  	  Environmental Exposure to Radionuclides . EPA 402-C-99-001,Rev. 1 April 2002, U.S. 			  Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.