Risk Estimation of Carcinogenic and Noncarcinogenic Diseases from Radiation for Medical X-ray Workers

The objective of this paper is to construct a follow-up cohort of medical x-ray workers and analyze the risk estimates of radiation-induced carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic diseases induced by chronic low-dose ionizing radiation exposure in the follow-up cohort. A fixed cohort study was used. A total of 159 medical x-ray workers working in radiology departments of hospitals in Gansu Province from 1950 to 1980 were selected as the radiology group, and 149 medical workers in internal medicine, surgery, and other departments who had not engaged in radiology work at the same hospital were selected as the control group. A fifth follow-up survey was also conducted. Information on personal radiation exposure history, lifestyle and morbidity was collected for 310 medical x-ray workers and the control group. Malignant tumors and noncancerous diseases (cataracts, diabetes, aplastic anemia, hypertension, coronary heart disease, cerebral apoplexy, etc.) were used as endpoints to analyze the risk estimates of carcinogenic and noncancerous diseases caused by low-dose radiation. There were 14 patients with malignant tumors, 8 in the radiation group and 6 in the control group (RR=1.25); 11 cases of cataract, radiation group, 8 cases, control group, 3 cases, RR:2.50; 18 patients with diabetes mellitus, 12 in the radiation group and 6 in the control group (RR = 1.87); 25 hypertensive patients, 17 in the radiation group and 8 in the control group (RR = 1.99); 23 patients with CHD, 12 in the radiation group and 11 in the control group (RR = 1.02); and 15 cerebral apoplexy patients, 5 in the radiation group and 10 in the control group (RR=0.47).Compared with the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). The risk factors for CR and noncarcinogenic diseases associated with low-dose radiation were cataracts (RR: 2.50) > hypertension (RR: 1.99) > diabetes (RR: 1.87) > malignancy (RR: 1.25) > CHD (RR: 1.02) > cerebral apoplexy (RR: 1.02). 0.47. Compared with those in the control group, medical x-ray workers had an increased risk of developing malignant tumors and cataracts, which may be related to occupational exposure to chronic low-dose ionizing radiation. Therefore, radiation workers should pay attention to the optimization of protection in radiation work practice. The incidences of hypertension and diabetes are increased, and the incidences of CHD are basically the same; in particular, the incidence of cerebral apoplexy is significantly reduced, indicating that cerebral apoplexy has a certain protective effect on medical x-ray workers.