Occupational Ionizing Radiation Effects on Blood Cell Counts among workers engaged in a few Radio-Diagnostic Centers

Abstract

Ionizing radiation is being used widely for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Continuous and intermittent exposure of technicians to low doses of ionizing radiation can exert measurable changes at the level of cell and chromosomes.
In this study, the ionizing radiation prevalent in the work environment at diagnostic labs and the background radiation in general environment of Bengaluru, India was measured using hand-held dosimeter.
The blood samples from the normal population and the occupants were also collected and investigated for cellular changes induced by exposure to ionizing radiation. The number of lymphocytes was measured and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio was checked to find any difference between the two groups (control group and the occupants group) of blood samples collected.
It was seen that there was no significant difference between the change in the lymphocyte number and also the CD4+/CD8+ ratio among these groups. Conclusion: The study indicates that the prevalent ionizing radiation was at a quite low degree to induce changes at cellular levels; also the exposure was intermittent and not continuous which is also a reason for not noticing cellular changes.