Radiology, is there an occupational hazard?
The practicing radiologist in the United States receives an annual average x-ray dose of 3.2 mSv. This dose of radiation results in between 17 and 28 cancer deaths among the 19,000 radiologists at risk, or an excess cancer risk of between 0.53% and 0.87%. The sub-population of cardiologists and radiologists who perform special procedures is expected to be at a higher risk of death from cancer than the general or therapeutic radiologist. The genetic risk to the children of the radiologist corresponds to a 0.09 to 1.26 excess of cases of genetically-determined disease among the 4047 children in the first generation, or between a 0.02% to 0.31% increase above the expected incidence. The progeny of radiologists who have received larger doses in the course of performing cardiac catheterizations or other special procedures are expected to be at a higher risk of expressing a genetically-determined disease than the progeny of the general radiologist. The small size of the population at risk combined with the small magnitude of the risk makes it unlikely that epidemiological studies will be able to demonstrate a statistically significant increased risk of death from cancer or of genetic sequelae in the near future.
Baker
D G
DG
Department of Radiology, University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville 22908.
D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002309:Cardiology; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011871:Radiology; D012307:Risk Factors