Occupational Chronic X-Ray Exposure and Its Effects on Blood Cell Profiles in Radiology Staff

Abstract

Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation from radiology equipment is believed to impact the health of healthcare professionals, particularly those working in radiology departments. This study investigates the long-term effects of chronic X-ray exposure on hematological parameters in radiology staff across multiple hospitals in Raniya City. This cohort study was conducted in six government hospitals in the Raparin district of Sulaimaniyah Governorate. A total of 96 participants were enrolled: 48  radiographers (case group) with prolonged exposure to X-rays and 48 medical laboratory professionals (control group) without such exposure. The study focused on evaluating the correlation between annual radiation dose and changes in the hematological parameters (cases/ controls), including white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), and platelet (PLT) counts. A minimum and maximum value of occupational chronic X-ray exposure for the radiographer was 1.69 μSv to 414.27 μSv, respectively. A significant increase in risk was observed when the X-ray dose exceeded 100 µSv. WBC count shows very weak and non-significant negative correlation with radiation dose. RBC count shows strong and statistically significant negative correlation, suggesting radiation exposure is associated with lower RBC counts. PLT count shows moderate and significant negative correlation, indicating platelet counts tend to decrease with higher radiation doses