Chromosome Aberrations: Dicentric Chromosomes - Illustration
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dicentric chromosome
  • Radiation exposure causes DNA strand breaks leading to abnormal chromosome replication, including dicentric chromosome formation.
  • Increases in radiation dose produce increasing numbers of abnormal (dicentric) chromosomes.
  • The numbers of dicentric chromosomes correlate well with radiation dose (i.e., increases in dose produce increased numbers of dicentric chromosomes).
  • Dicentric chromosome assay is the radiation biodosimetry "gold standard"
    • Time consuming and highly technique dependent