Lifetime cancer risks from occupational radiation exposure among workers at interventional radiology departments

Won Jin Lee, Ye Jin Bang, Eun Shil Cha, Young Min Kim, Sung Bum Cho

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    11 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Purpose: Interventional medical radiation workers represent an under-studied population worldwide, although they receive relatively high occupational radiation doses. This study aimed to estimate the lifetime cancer risk from occupational radiation exposure among workers at interventional radiology departments. Methods: A field survey of interventional medical workers in nationwide branches of the Korean Society of Interventional Radiology was conducted in 2017. Organ-specific radiation doses were estimated using national dose registry data and conversion coefficients provided by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Lifetime attributable risk (LAR) and lifetime fractional risk (LFR) were calculated based on realistic exposure scenarios using a radiation risk assessment tool. Results: LARs from occupational radiation exposure until the age of retirement for all cancers combined were 338 (90.3–796.1), 121 (33.5–288.7), and 156 (41.1–390.6) per 100,000 individuals for male radiologists, male radiologic technologists, and female nurses, respectively. LFR for all cancers combined ranged from 0.22% (0.06–0.53) to 0.63% (0.17–1.47). Regarding the organ site, the highest LAR and LFR among all groups were observed for thyroid cancer. Conclusion: This study provides timely evidence of potential cancer burden from the current levels of occupational radiation exposure among workers at interventional radiology departments. The risks varied by occupational groups, and workers, particularly interventional radiologists, need to be carefully monitored for radiation.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)139-145
    Number of pages7
    JournalInternational Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
    Volume94
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2021 Jan

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (no. 2020R1A2C1008891).

    Publisher Copyright:
    © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

    Keywords

    • Health professionals
    • Neoplasm
    • Occupation
    • lifetime attributable risk

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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