Ionizing radiation as a risk factor of thyroid gland’s pathology emergence (literature review)

The purpose of the research. Theoretical generalization of the scientific publications’ data on the issue of the ionizing radiation’s influence on the state of the thyroid gland. Object and research methods. Analytical review of the foreign and domestic scientific publications’ data using the PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus/WoS scientometric databases and the information resource "Scientific Periodicals of Ukraine". Research results and their discussion. Under the conditions of adverse and poorly controlled physical factors’ influence of the environment, the vital activity of the organism occurs against the background of morpho-functional changes in the thyroid gland. The main physical factor that significantly disrupts the state of the gland is natural and artificial ionizing radiation. The studied publications analyzed the features of X-ray and gamma radiation’s influence on the processes of carcinogenesis, the issues of radiation-induced lesions of the thyroid gland. The study of the ionizing radiation’s impact on medical workers during the performance of their professional duties and on patients during diagnostic imaging, the study of the ionizing radiation’s effects on public health after the accident at the Chornobyl NPP and Fukushima Daiichi NPP drew attention. Characterization of ionizing factors capable of damaging the thyroid gland, study of the ionizing radiation’s impact on it and the initiation of tumor processes in it, their dependence on the radiation dose, duration of exposure, gender and age at which the radiation injury was received, showed that radionuclides, which enter the body as a result of man-made accidents at nuclear power plants, are particularly dangerous. Conclusions. Ionizing radiation can significantly disrupt the state of the thyroid gland. Its influence is especially dangerous in childhood and adolescence. Among the radiosensitive organs, the thyroid gland acquires the status of an important target, and the level of thyroid pathology is becoming an informative marker of environmental distress. This changes the problem of thyroid pathology from a purely medical to an ecologically and socially significant one. Keywords. Ionizing radiation, low dose exposure, diseases of the thyroid gland, thyroid neoplasms, healthcare workers, diagnostic imaging.